Chapter 57
“So… this is evolution?”
Qi Yunhan was lost in thought. This sounded like a microcosm of evolution, condensing a process of tens of millions of years into a short period of rapid completion.
Hearing the word “evolution,” the audience immediately pulled up their little stools and urged her to explain.
Although she hadn’t prepared any content related to evolution, her professional knowledge was solid, and she spoke with ease, recounting several representative evolutionary events, from ancient times to the modern era.
Even Xia Anran and the others in the car were listening with great interest, let alone the interstellar people who were encountering the concept of evolution for the first time.
“So, evolution is the process by which organisms adapt to their environment, causing genetic changes that are ultimately reflected in their physical form. This is usually a long-term change. For us, a huge change like the one the Beastman race undergoes in a short period of time is indeed very incredible.”
She thought for a moment and added, “A more widely accepted theory in the academic world now is that humans evolved from apes, a process that also took millions of years.”
This news instantly blew up the comments section.
[Is there something wrong with my ears???]
[Wait, what did Professor Qi just say?]
[Humans evolved from apes…]
[Although I don’t know what an ape is, it’s clearly a type of animal.]
[Ahhh, so I’m a Beastman?!!!]
[I can’t accept this!]
[Hahahaha, what kind of dry joke is this?]
[Uh, so I also came from an animal?]
[The Beastman was me all along.]
[Huh? So everyone is a Beastman?]
[I get it! It’s just that we Beastmen evolved faster and you humans evolved slower, hahahaha!]
[Then there’s no difference between us. We all came from animals.]
[I suggest the United Star System and the Interstellar Empire merge into the Beastman race.]
[I support Beastman rule over the entire interstellar era!]
Jeqi’s mood lifted as he watched these comments. The discomfort he had felt sitting in the United Star System’s conference hall had weakened a lot, especially when he saw the awkward and subtle expressions of the United Star System people next to him. It was so satisfying! So, their Beastman race was the origin of the species!
Director Li’s face was stiff, feeling as if his entire worldview was about to shatter. Qin Feng, on the other hand, didn’t react much and said with great interest, “I wonder what an ape looks like, to be able to evolve into a human.” Although the Beastman race could transform into humans through their maturation period, they would always retain certain beastly features. For example, the Beastman emperor and princess sitting in front of them had a silver-white horn on their foreheads. And the Beastman race’s number one general, Xuan Mo, sitting next to them, was one of the few Beastmen who looked little different from a human in his normal state. Only when he used his abilities would the features of the Winged Race appear—a pair of powerful, black wings.
Xuan Mo shot a sidelong glance at the stunned Director Li. “Is it so hard for the director of the United Star System’s Academy of Sciences to accept this new knowledge?” His tone was full of teasing and delight. He was clearly very happy about this. Hmm, now humans are much more pleasing to the eye.
Director Li frowned, completely baffled. Humans evolved from animals? It sounded too incredible. Even with their current level of technology, he couldn’t imagine how such an evolution could take place. According to Xia Anran’s previous explanation, the animals on Earth did not have human thoughts. So how did they become human, step by step?
Jeqi was practically bouncing in his seat, wishing he could run three laps around the hall and broadcast the news that all humans had evolved from animals! Let’s see you look down on us Beastmen now! His only regret was that he couldn’t see that black-hearted Phileas’s expression, which would surely have taken his happiness to the next level.
But the United Star System’s Consul General beside him was still smiling, his expression barely changing. It was impossible to tell what he thought of the matter. One was a smiling tiger, the other was black-hearted. Their kind and simple Beastmen really had it tough.
Although Ruoya also wanted to laugh, the occasion was still quite serious, so she stomped on Jeqi’s foot a couple of times under the table to get him to tone it down.
Jeqi winced from his sister’s merciless stomp. The Consul General looked over and said with a smile, “Is Your Majesty feeling unwell? If there is anything lacking in our hospitality, you must tell us.”
“Ah, it’s fine, it’s fine.” Jeqi scratched his head and sat up straight again.
The Consul General’s expression remained unchanged as he continued to watch the stream. Through his communicator, he was already contacting the consuls of the various planets in his photon-computer, telling them to pay attention to the citizens’ reactions to this matter and to prepare countermeasures as soon as possible.
…
Xia Anran’s stream was still ongoing. The viewers’ reaction to the idea that humans had evolved from animals was extremely strong. Even Director Hukeni had sent several comments, wanting Professor Qi to elaborate.
Xia Anran, with her rich livestreaming experience, had long since found the very classic human evolution chart from the textbooks.
The viewers looked at the image on the screen—an animal covered in fur with strong limbs, climbing a tree—and spammed a series of ellipses.
Like a teacher in a children’s class, Professor Qi very patiently answered many of the questions from the comments.
Director Hukeni, who had also been so shocked he nearly dropped his cup, happened to be watching the stream with his apprentice, the emperor of the Empire, Phileas.
Phileas had been in a dazed state since the beginning. For a rare moment, you could see the “who am I, where am I, what am I doing” expression on his face.
“Teacher, do you think what this Professor Qi is saying is true?”
Director Hukeni looked at the human evolution chart that Xia Anran had displayed. Although he was very reluctant to admit it, as a researcher, he still said, “It’s very possible. The evidence she just mentioned about humans evolving from apes is indeed very credible.” Apes, starting from walking upright, had evolved into humans step by step. He didn’t know which master had created that evolution chart, but it was both vivid and rigorous.
Phileas sucked in a sharp breath. Could it be that he also evolved from an animal?
“Ahem,” Director Hukeni said, seeing his student’s twisted expression, trying to comfort him. “Your Majesty, for now, we can only be sure that the United Star System people evolved from animals. Our Interstellar Empire currently does not have enough evidence to show that we came from Earth.” So, don’t identify with it just yet.
“Is that supposed to be a good thing?” Phileas’s face grew even more upset. He said resentfully, “I’d rather have evolved from an animal!” He had to become family with Host Anran and Earth!
After saying that, he rubbed his nose and suddenly thought of something. “Hey, in that case, can’t I get even closer to that idiot Jeqi? This time, we’re really brothers.” He would definitely be easier to fool than before.
Director Hukeni: “…” Your Majesty, you really are adaptable.
Jeqi, who had secretly allied with the United Star System, suddenly sneezed. Strange. Could it be that the temperature in the United Star System is really low?
…
After a great deal of effort to explain the history of human evolution to the audience, they finally arrived at the lion gathering place.
Xia Anran, who had been listening on the side the whole time, couldn’t help but want to applaud Professor Qi. After listening for just a dozen minutes, her understanding of evolution was clearer than it had been in over twenty years of schooling.
[I get it! Teacher Qi is beautiful and smart, and she’s a great lecturer!]
[So it was a step-by-step development. That scared me! I thought we were born as animals like the Beastman race.]
[Apes are so smart! To stand out from the animals. Truly worthy of being the ancestors of our ancestors!]
[Didn’t Professor Qi just say that the maturation period of the Beastman race is a microcosm of evolution? So we’re all the same, we all came from animals!]
[Alright, I think I can accept it now. This is science!]
[Humans weren’t humans from the beginning. Hmm, this is a good idea.]
[Tell us more stories about biological evolution! It’s so interesting!]
[Thinking about it this way, it seems we really are very similar to the Beastman race in essence. I don’t even hate them as much anymore.]
[Same here.]
[Ahem, only limited to the United Star System people. After all, they are the confirmed descendants of Earth. The Interstellar Empire shouldn’t try to get in on this.]
[??? What’s going on? How did the United Star System and the Beastman race get together in such a short time?]
[Who cares! Hmph!]
[Who said we Imperials didn’t evolve from animals? We’re all human! Of course we also evolved from apes!]
[Exactly! We’re exactly the same as the United Star System people!]
[Hahaha, alright, so the interstellar era is going to be unified, is that it?]
Suddenly, a continuous, deep roar came from ahead, directly interrupting the argument in the comments.
“We’ve entered the lions’ territory,” Xia Anran’s expression turned serious. She glanced at Ren Yi, who nodded, indicating he was ready. The system had also, for a rare change, diligently opened the protective shield, but it was colorless and transparent, invisible to the naked eye.
Their plan for today was to end the stream after touring the lion area. They had lingered at the black stork area for a bit too long, so by the time they reached the lion area, there were only a little over forty minutes of broadcast time left.
The car slowed down. Soon, a male lion emerged from the bushes ahead. Its mane was long and lush, and its physique was very strong. Xia Anran estimated it was probably not much shorter than her. It was clearly an adult male lion.
It stood in the middle of the road, letting out a series of low growls at their car, occasionally moving around, cautiously circling them.
“This is a lion’s attack posture. It’s observing us,” Professor Qi said. “Lions are social animals. Other lions will appear soon.”
The moment she finished speaking, two more male lions and a lioness emerged from behind the bushes. The moment the five lions had gathered, they immediately launched an attack. Faced with such fierce beasts, even though Xia Anran knew the protective shield was on, she couldn’t help but scream. The others in the car were also startled. Then, with a crisp “clang,” the lions were sent flying back.
The lions looked at the invisible wall in front of them with puzzled expressions.
Xia Anran couldn’t help but laugh. This was the power of technology. It was truly a bit like bullying a lion.