Recap: last chapter, Lin started to connect its cells together and become a multi-cellular organism.
Chapter Nineteen “Protrude”
Lin’s cell group once again appeared on the outside of the rock through the giant tentacle. Lin started its plan to take back its territory.
This was actually very simple. Those small new cell groups were not a match for Lin. Lin didn’t even need to observe them before Lin took back all of the food cracks.
Therefore, Lin did not put its attention on this, but back to that giant tentacle … …
This thing could act as a passageway, and as a shelter. However, the biggest problem was that –it could not move.
So many cells together, and with the hardening of the outside, the tentacle even had difficulty moving. Due to that, it would become a pillar that would just stand motionlessly.
While Lin’s cell group could quickly hid in there when there was danger, but if there wasn’t any, wasn’t the tentacle useless? It also used up a great amount of food.
This did not seem very profitable. Did this enormous thing only have just so few uses?
Lin should think of a way for the tentacle to move … …
At this time, Lin’s observer swam back into the tentacle and through the interior of the tentacle, it returned to the cavern deep within the rock.
Lin knew before that the basic cells that had been attempting to evolve into shapeshifting cells seemed to have succeeded. It wanted to go back to observe.
Lin had a feeling that these “shapeshifting cells” were the crux to having the tentacle move … …
After returning to the cavern, under the illumination of the flashing exploding balls, Lin saw that the group of basic cells had successfully evolved. However, they did not become shapeshifting cells. Because they had moved through the narrow crevices over and over again, their bodies became long and thing, cylinders that looked like flagella. They could not change their shape at will like the shapeshifting cells.
Was this a failure?
Lin did not feel so.
These long cells were flexible and they could stretch out greatly and also contract their body. What did this mean?
Yes, if Lin merged large amounts of this kind of cell into the giant tentacle, Lin could easily manipulate the tentacle to move!
Was this … … muscle?
When Lin thought of this idea, a new term appeared in its mind.
This kind of long cell should be called muscle cells.
Lin started to have the muscle cells divide and merge them into the giant tentacle. At the same time, it combined many muscle cells at the base of the giant tentacle, and had them stretch into the cracks of the rock below to secure the entire tentacle.
Lin saw the luminescent microbes during this time and found they had started to swim and eat the white gel. They seemed to not be afraid of Lin’s cells.
But Lin ignored them.
When Lin finished taking back the territories on the outside, about 60% of the outside rock surface, the inside of the tentacle had large numbers of muscle cells. If Lin controlled them to flex and contract, it could get the entire tentacle to move.
Then, Lin started to let the tentacle to grow. Right now, it was just long enough to protrude slightly out of the opening. Lin wanted it to grow until Lin could look down on the entire rock from it.
What was next was waiting … …
Lin continued to grow. the black night came again. Right now, Lin would not fear this kind of phenomenon. When the night left, the enormous tentacle was much bigger. If one looked from the water outside, it was like an enormous tower standing up from the rock, and looking down at everything living and inanimate.
It was time to attack.
Lin controlled 100% of the rock’s surface. This time, it was attacking the last big cell group.
It was called the “Ghost Mist Microbe.”
In reality, Lin did not know what the Ghost Mist Microbe was, but just had a feeling that the name was suited to this kind of cells.
These ghost mist microbes were white and spherical, about the same size as Lin and covered completely in villi.
Lin felt they were one of the strongest types of cells that it had ever encountered. Through Lin’s observations, it found that the microbe’s fur could harden, and reach out. When they hunted, they would stab their villi into the prey and most likely inject a grey liquid that was a toxin.
The villi would also release large amounts of toxins. They were also survivors of the last wave of water currents because they could use their villi to grab onto the rock and not get washed away.
If this was in the past, it would be almost impossible for Lin to defeat them because the cone-shaped cells and the diggers would be captured before they could get close. Only the acid ejectors could damage them, but Lin did not have enough acid ejectors. Also, random attracts would cause the enemy to become immune to the dissolving fluid. However, it was not the same now.
Lin first had large numbers of acid ejectors go near the closest group of ghost mist microbes. The group of ghost mist microbes that were eating the white gel felt the attack and immediately charged over.
They were relatively savage cells. They were strong, and if they were attacked, they would retaliate with all of their power.
The acid ejectors immediately retreated and lured the ghost mist microbes in the direction of the enormous tentacle. When it reached the tentacle, the acid ejectors immediately circled behind the tentacle.
The ghost mist microbes wanted to follow. They seemed to not realize that the giant tentacle was living. At this time, Lin immediately twisted the giant tentacle to swing at them. The ghost mist microbes seemed to feel that there was something wrong with the giant tentacle and immediately released large volumes of toxins. The grey colored toxin spread through the water and seemed to create a mist.
The outer layer of the giant tentacle had evolved and now was a thick but flexible surface with denticles. None of the toxin could permeate it, and the attack of the ghost mist microbes was ineffective.
Through the muscle cells on the inside, Lin could completely control the movement of the giant tentacle. It had the tentacle bend to face the ghost mist microbes, and through the opening at the top, it suddenly opened. This way, a large volume of water and the ghost mist microbes would be sucked into the tentacle.
Inside the tentacle, there were already many acid ejectors and exploding balls waiting for them. A great amount of dissolving fluid immediately killed this group of ghost mist microbes that did not know what was going on.
Because Lin immediately closed the opening to the tentacle the moment the microbes entered, none of them were able to escape. As long as they could not escape, they could not evolve into cells with immunity.
Using the same method, Lin easily took care of the remaining ghost mist microbes. The enemy which would have been difficult to defeat in the past wasn’t able to fight back at all.
The death of this little group of ghost mist microbes seemed to cause a response in all of the ghost mist microbes on this rocky area. They started to swim at the same time, the enormous groups merging into one. It was like a grey ghostly mist that floated in the air and charged towards Lin’s tentacle.
It was not effective.
For Lin, this saved it the effort of luring them over.
However, before the ghost mist microbes reached Lin, Lin’s old enemy once again appeared.
A strong water current suddenly appeared and swept over the entire rocky area. Numerous ghost mist microbes were swept away in an instant and disappeared without a trace.
The giant tentacle at the center of the rock also titled due to this giant rush. Many muscle cells inside broke apart in this moment. Many of the strong basic cells that formed the resilient outer layer were damaged.
Such a terrifying power … …
A term called lamenting flashed through Lin’s thoughts.
But Lin would not give up. It immediately had new muscle cells take the places of the one before. Those damaged cells promptly started to divide and repair in preparation for the next attack!
Lin had been prepared for a situation like this.
The cells worked at their fastest speed. The fat cells were continuously providing these cells that were active with energy.
Before the next water current came, the enormous tentacle was completely repaired and once again stood at the center of the rock.
Through the transparent tentacle structure, Lin’s observer could see the water current in the distance started to become restless.
Was it about to come?
But Lin already know.
Everything in the surroundings, no matter what it was, no matter how many cells it damaged or killed, what it brought Lin was not destruction, but opportunity … …
An opportunity to evolve!
But it could only get this opportunity if it won!
Translator Ramblings: And now Lin has tissue types in addition to being a multicellular being.
I keep on imagining the tentacle as tube worms from hydrothermal vents.
NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program, Galapagos Rift Expedition 2011