Chapter Forty-Two: There Are Gaps Between Lives

The starting point and the limits of living beings are distinct, and the difference is immense.

Take Ji Yu, for example—a human. The physical limit for humans, as ordinary life forms, lies within the range of 0.99. Now, consider the oak tree. If we equate the oak tree’s vitality to human constitution, then as an ordinary life form, the oak’s limit reaches 19.99—a value more than twenty times the human maximum.

It is easy to imagine that, in terms of sheer strength, humanity could never be a match for the oak. Yet, the previous world was also fair: though oaks surpass humans in constitution, they possess no thought and cannot move. Other powerful life forms similar to oaks share these traits. This is why humanity could truly become the dominant species of Blue Star.

But once the world enters the age of myth or the extraordinary, humans might not be eliminated immediately, but with time, their extinction becomes inevitable.

Take, for instance, Adam the Oak, now in his second-tier state. With his intelligence and formidable abilities, he could easily contend with a small, well-armed human unit. And if stripped of weapons in a one-on-one scenario, there would be no comparison. Imagine—a human at the peak of the second tier versus an oak at the same level; could their constitutions and abilities possibly be the same? Absolutely not. When the oak reaches the second tier, its upper limit increases tenfold. Even if humans also experience a tenfold increase upon reaching the same tier, the gap remains an unbridgeable chasm.

The disparity in starting points greatly shapes the widening gulf between beings as the extraordinary era unfolds.

What prompted Ji Yu to realize this was the breakthrough he achieved upon obtaining his second avatar; his own life’s upper limit had surpassed the first tier, stepping into the so-called extraordinary realm. At this moment, Ji Yu’s data panel had already changed. Without returning to his main body, he could now summon his human data panel at will—an extra function granted by the game upon receiving the second avatar.

[Player Status]

[Good Condition]

[Life Level: 2]

[Constitution: 1.02 (Maximum 5)]

[Height: 1.83 meters (Maximum 2.5 meters)]

[Age: 26 years (Maximum 150 years)]

[Trait 1: Vigorous Vitality (Medium)]

[Trait 2: Affinity with Nature (Medium)]

[Newly Gained Trait 1: Enhanced Consciousness (Low)] (Doubles the strength of the individual’s soul and will. Gained upon breaking through Life Level.)

[Newly Gained Trait 2: Life Grafting (High)] (Constitution limit increased fivefold, all other attribute limits doubled. By touching any normal life form, one may absorb its life force to strengthen oneself, or transfer one’s own life force to others. Origin: Sika Deer Avatar.)

[Note 1: Life Grafting cannot fully harmonize with the player’s life form, resulting in significant reduction in power.]

[Note 2: There are differences between life forms; the nature and way of survival determine how well traits fit and differ.]

Initially, Ji Yu was delighted by these changes, especially by the Life Grafting trait obtained from the Sika Deer. But that joy quickly gave way to dismay upon reading the annotation after the Life Grafting trait. It was this very bewilderment that led Ji Yu to realize, for the first time, the disparity in starting points and heights among living beings.

It’s much like how a wealthy heir can easily start life on a different footing thanks to family wealth—graduating with a house, a car, and even a chance at a high-level management position or entrepreneurial venture. Meanwhile, a poor child, even with a prestigious degree, must accumulate a decade or two of savings and experience before matching that starting point. By then, the wealthy heir may already be a company president, experiencing a life that would forever be beyond reach. Of course, some heirs fail due to lack of ability, but can a child from a poor family ever rival the educational resources available to the wealthy? The starting point determines so much—this is the root cause of social rigidity and the most direct reflection of class conflict.

The starting point and limit for humanity are, in essence, comparable to Ji Yu’s Sika Deer avatar. Before acquiring Life Grafting, the Sika Deer’s limit was roughly equal to that of a human.

Even so, Ji Yu recognized his judgment was not absolute. While humanity’s starting point is lower than that of plant life like the oak, humans have the advantage of numbers and possess innate higher intelligence that oaks could never match. This is a major variable that could allow humans to retain a place in the extraordinary era.

Moreover, the emergence of traits is itself a variable. When life advances to the extraordinary second tier, most humans will randomly acquire a trait. But is it easy to get a good one? For instance, when Ji Yu himself broke through to the second tier, he gained only a low-level trait, and its effects seem rather lackluster.

Bear in mind, the Life Grafting trait—almost mythic in nature—was only granted to Ji Yu and the Sika Deer by the All Things Avatar game. For ordinary life forms, relying solely on themselves, what are the odds of acquiring such a trait? Ji Yu could only mark this question with a deep uncertainty.

Reflecting on the differences between life forms and the probability of gaining traits, Ji Yu’s thoughts tangled into confusion. But soon, he recovered. No matter what the future holds for humanity, he knew one thing: the vast majority of life forms could never compare with him.

Thus, seizing every opportunity to become stronger as quickly as possible was what mattered most to Ji Yu now. After all, these musings only applied to Blue Star; as for the unknown Purple Moon or distant lands, countless more challenges awaited him.

He would not become complacent or blinded by sudden power—on this, Ji Yu was clear.

Strolling through the jungle, the phenomenon surrounding the Sika Deer grew ever more intense. Even its size continued to transform. In just three hours, it had grown from three meters in body length to five, and its shoulder height approached three meters. Such a colossal creature striding through the forest, with threads of gleaming light swirling around its body as dusk fell, was an arresting sight.

Yet Ji Yu paid no mind to any trouble such changes might bring. The reason was simple: he believed that, should humans attack, he had already pushed the Sika Deer avatar’s attributes to peak levels. The primeval forest is teeming with vitality; with this rate of increase, Ji Yu was confident that within two or three days, he could elevate the Sika Deer’s power to unimaginable heights.

Though the Sika Deer’s second-level vitality capped at only five points, the amplification from Life Grafting was no joke. Whether to fight or flee, Ji Yu would at least hold the initiative.