Magic? My Iron Torrent will sweep it all away!

Chapter 179 The World Tree's Terrifying Appetite!

Lin Mo was so frightened that he jumped back a big step, and the shovel in his hand fell to the ground with a "clatter".

On that patch of damp earth, a tender green shoot broke through the soil.

In the short span of a few dozen seconds that he turned around to speak, the tender shoot had grown wildly to nearly a meter tall!

Moreover, it continues to grow upwards at a speed that completely defies the laws of physics and common sense about plants!

The emerald green branches continue to grow taller and thicker, and tender green leaves unfold from the branches.

Each leaf emitted tiny points of fluorescent light, as if countless fireflies were dancing among the veins of the leaf.

An indescribable fresh fragrance filled the air; just one breath was enough to sweep away all fatigue.

If this isn't the World Tree, then what is it?!

"Oh...Oh God..."

The usually composed Qian Zhenhua muttered to himself, his eyes behind his glasses filled with a shock that had shattered his worldview. He had completely forgotten that he was a staunch materialist scientist.

"Record! Quick! Record all the data!"

Liu Chengen was the first to react, and he roared furiously at the researchers behind him.

He was practically lying face down on a vital signs monitor, his eyes shining, muttering to himself.

"Growth rate: 3.2 centimeters per second... no, 3.5 centimeters per second! And it's accelerating!"

"Energy reading... off the charts! The instrument has exceeded its limit!"

"Hurry up and switch to a higher-range probe! What are you little brats standing there for?!"

The researchers snapped out of their daze and frantically began operating the instruments around them, their keyboards clattering loudly.

The probes of various sensors carefully approached the sapling that was creating a miracle.

Under the fervent gaze of the crowd, the World Tree sapling surged forward, quickly surpassing a height of two meters.

The branches and leaves grew increasingly lush, and the halo they emitted bathed the entire ecological park in a dreamy emerald green.

However, just as it grew to about two and a half meters tall, its unstoppable growth came to an abrupt halt.

The branches and leaves that were stretching out one second were frozen in place the next.

The pleasant fragrance in the air had also faded considerably.

"Um?"

"Why did it stop?"

"It's not growing anymore?"

The crowd, which had been so enthusiastic just moments before, fell silent instantly, exchanging bewildered glances.

Liu Chengen looked constipated, reaching out to touch the leaves but afraid of damaging them.

"What happened? Did you run out of energy?" He turned to look at Qian Zhenhua.

Qian Zhenhua didn't speak; he was staring intently at a monitor connected to underground sensors.

On the screen, the curve representing the energy reaction has changed from a steep mountain peak to a flat straight line.

He raised his hand, pointed at the screen, his voice a little hoarse.

"That's all."

"The energy crystals we buried have been... completely absorbed."

The room fell silent upon hearing this.

Lin Mo quickly did some mental calculations.

He just grabbed a handful; there were at least thirty energy crystals.

At a price of one energy crystal equal to ten gold coins, three hundred gold coins were gone in just a short while.

Based on the exchange rate negotiated with Terra at the time, that's $90,000!

It only grew to a little over two meters tall?

The World Tree is at least several thousand meters tall...

This isn't planting trees, it's burning money!

Lin Mo's lips twitched.

He finally understood why the elves said that the World Tree usually had to be planted on energy veins.

If they were fed by hand, they could probably bankrupt an entire kingdom.

Now that the World Tree has stopped growing, it's the perfect time to experiment with various minerals from Earth.

"Old Liu, Old Qian," Lin Mo said.

"Bring over all the ore samples we've prepared."

"Try them one by one!"

The two academicians immediately understood.

Soon, sealed boxes with labels were carried over.

The researchers carefully dug a small pit next to the World Tree.

The movements were as gentle as if performing a delicate surgical procedure, as if afraid of damaging even the smallest root.

They stopped when they dug up roots that were visible as bright green.

"Sample number one, iron ore, put it in."

A fist-sized piece of iron ore was placed in the pit, right next to the roots.

All eyes were on the monitoring equipment.

Five minutes passed.

"Report: Energy readings unchanged."

"The roots of the World Tree showed no reaction."

"exclude."

"Sample number two, copper ore, place it in."

……

"Report: No changes."

……

"Sample number thirteen, rare earth ore, place it in."

……

"Report: No changes."

As various ores were put in and taken out, the atmosphere at the scene gradually became somewhat solemn.

Does the World Tree only absorb "magical" products like energy crystals?

At this moment, a staff member wearing a heavy silver-white radiation protection suit walked over carrying a lead box.

"It's time to test the radioactive samples."

The researchers nearby immediately retreated away from the scene, their faces showing a hint of tension.

"Academician Liu, this...this radiation is so strong, won't it...burn the saplings to death?" a young researcher asked worriedly.

Liu Chengen's eyes widened:

"What's there to be afraid of! Science is about boldly trying and failing within controlled limits!"

"Besides," he said, pointing to the lead box.

"It's just a piece the size of a grain of rice, what's the big deal!"

The worker opened the lead box, used specially made long-handled tweezers to pick up a tiny, metallic-looking substance, smaller than a grain of rice, and carefully placed it into the small pit.

It is a sample of uranium-235.

Almost the instant the sample was placed in, a piercing alarm blared throughout the entire park!

"Radiation levels have skyrocketed! 3000! 5000! 8000!"

"Quickly! Evacuate non-essential personnel!"

However, amidst the chaos, Qian Zhenhua, who had been staring at the vital signs monitor, suddenly exclaimed in surprise.

"Wait! Look!"

Everyone immediately looked in the direction he was pointing.

On the instrument screen, the previously flat energy curve suddenly began to rise!

At the same time, the readings on another radiation monitor are dropping rapidly at a rate visible to the naked eye!

"8000...6500...4000..."

One of the researchers responsible for observing the root system even let out a scream as if he had seen a ghost.

"It...it moved! The roots are moving!"

Everyone immediately gathered around, and saw that the originally still emerald green roots were now slowly extending like living tentacles.

It completely enveloped the rice-grain-sized uranium ore!

Radiation levels reduced to zero!

And that little tree, which was over two meters tall, seemed to have taken a powerful tonic, and visibly grew a little taller!

There was a three-second silence.

The next second, a deafening cheer erupted!

"Success! It absorbed it!"

"My God! It can directly absorb radioactive material!"

Liu Chengen was so excited that he trembled all over and roared with excitement:

"Continue! Bring me all the radioactive samples!"

"Plutonium-239! Radium-226! Cobalt-60! Try them one by one!"