"They treat any screen connected to the network as a medium, allowing them to freely travel between the two worlds."
As expected!
With his speculation confirmed, the relaxed composure Jing Yuan usually carried vanished completely, replaced by a rare spark of youthful exhilaration.
He gazed intently at the Digi-Egg, already calculating what kind of potential it could bring to the Xianzhou.
A being that could use screens as gateways, moving between two realities at will…
If such creatures could one day be tamed, wouldn't that mean the Xianzhou could form a mysterious army—one that appears and disappears like ghosts?
They could enter through the Xianzhou's computers, and then emerge from the Abundance's networks, unleashing entire units right from the enemy's core!
Working in perfect coordination with conventional forces—no fortress, no matter how fortified, could withstand such a strike!
Truly… fighting along the network cables themselves!
Unless the enemy abandoned all forms of digital communication entirely, there would be no defense against such warfare. But that was impossible! Even the fleshly warships of the Denizens of Abundance, though made of living matter rather than machines—how did they communicate with one another?
Surely they didn't resort to shouting orders through space like in the ancient days of primitive warfare?
Communication by yelling? That would erase the very concept of "command"!
A well-trained army would instantly collapse into a rabble—less organized than mere bandits!
Jing Yuan stared at the Digi-Egg, his excitement mounting. This thing… it might completely redefine the nature of war, propelling the Xianzhou's military might to an unprecedented new level!
His heart was bursting with joy—until, after thinking for a moment longer, he was struck by a depressing realization.
In an instant, his grand vision crumbled to dust.
He had only one egg.
Even for a self-replicating species, two individuals were still needed for reproduction.
This single egg meant the Digimon it hatched would likely spend its life alone. So much for taming, much less forming an army—unless its individual strength was overwhelming, it would only serve as a pet at best.
"Shopkeeper Sylvester, I assume Digimon also differ in strength? Can you tell what kind of Digimon this egg will hatch into?"
Naturally, Jing Yuan hoped that the creature born from this egg would be powerful—at least as strong as a high-ranking Pathstrider.
Otherwise, if it crawled out of an enemy terminal only to be instantly punched to death by some startled soldier… that would be downright embarrassing.
Feixiao nodded in agreement, also hoping Sylvester's answer would match their expectations. As Xianzhou generals, both she and Jing Yuan were thinking the same thing—how to use it for military purposes.
"The Digimon that hatches from this egg is called Koromon," Sylvester said as he pulled a sheet of paper from a drawer. Dipping a brush into ink, he began to draw its likeness.
With the skill he'd honed in his school days before crossing into this world, the creature's form quickly came to life on the page.
It was a small, round, and endearingly cute being—its entire body a soft, plushy sphere. Two ribbon-like ears extended from its round head, which doubled as its torso, and then…
That was it.
Sylvester put down his brush, lifted the paper, and showed the two generals.
After recalling its traits, he explained, "Like this. About the size of a basketball. Its body is soft—it can't fly, so it moves by stretching and bouncing. Its temperament is honest and kind, usually eager to help others."
Although Sylvester's description painted the Digimon as having a wonderful personality, Jing Yuan's heart shattered the instant he saw the drawing.
That face—those floppy ears—it didn't even have hands or feet!
Sending such an adorable, squishy creature into battle against the clawed and fanged Borisin? That was practically a war crime!
So much for his military dream—it was completely ruined.
He could at least consider whether his cat at home might like its new playmate.
Feixiao, on the other hand, chuckled softly. Though she shared his regret, she couldn't help but be charmed by the idea of such a soft little creature as a pet.
Hmm… if it were fluffy, that'd be even better.
She tapped her chin thoughtfully, comparing this imagined creature to the round plush fox that sat on her nightstand at home.
Hmm… both are pretty adorable.
"Hey, don't be so disappointed! That's only its initial form. After enough battles—or when it and its partner share a bond of mutual resolve—a Digimon can evolve into a more combat-ready form, with a tremendous leap in strength!"
Noticing Jing Yuan's expression, Sylvester quickly added the explanation.
"It can… evolve?!"
Jing Yuan, who had just been debating whether to buy the little creature cat food or dog food, perked up immediately.
Then the full implication struck him, and his heart trembled again.
Increasing power through battle wasn't surprising—all living things could do that.
But evolution? As in the kind of transformation where apes became humans? That was something that normally required thousands—millions—of years of natural selection and environmental adaptation!
And yet, according to Sylvester, this kind of evolution could occur suddenly, triggered simply by fighting? It was unbelievable!
"Of course!" Sylvester puffed out his chest proudly. "This Koromon is just in its In-Training stage. Afterward, it can evolve into Rookie, Champion, Ultimate, Mega, and even Super Mega forms—each an immense qualitative leap. By the time it reaches the Mega level, it can easily cause city-level destruction. If its evolution line is guided properly, it could even reach star-destroying power!"
"It can be that strong?"
After Sylvester's explanation, Jing Yuan fell silent for a moment, studying the sketch. His lips didn't move, but his excitement was impossible to hide.
His perception of this small creature had undergone a complete transformation.
Star-destroying strength? That could rival the mightiest of all Pathstriders—beyond anything he had expected.
Sylvester waved his hand casually. "Naturally, that's based on known evolution routes. Digimon evolution never truly ends. With the right training, once it reaches its pinnacle, possessing power on par with an Emanator wouldn't be unthinkable."
Then he added, "Of course, that's only theoretical. Most Digimon peak around city-level combat power, and many never evolve beyond the Champion stage."
Indeed, even among Digimon, those reaching Mega level were rare; the ones capable of stellar destruction could be counted on one hand.
But Sylvester wasn't exaggerating.
Every Curio found in the Trash Cans of this universe adapted uniquely to its environment—always a bit stronger than its original counterpart.
Jing Yuan, however, was unfazed by the implied challenges. Ever optimistic, he said, "That's hardly an issue. With the Xianzhou's expertise, the Alchemy Commission's physicians can surely develop the optimal training methods in no time. If even the Xianzhou can't help it reach this… Mega form, then there probably aren't many forces in the cosmos who could."
Hmm, perhaps it's time to take on another personal disciple.
He glanced sidelong at the drawing of Koromon once more.
Ha, between this evolving little creature and Yanqing… which one would stand on their own first?
And if Yanqing were somehow outdone by it…
Hahaha—just imagining it is amusing!