Ma Xiong’s attempt to comfort Ge Mei was once again futile; his face cycled through shades of green, red, and grey, as if he’d just been slapped across the face. Lu Zong also felt a touch of meanness in his actions, but he considered himself quite clever for the sake of revealing someone’s true nature.

He surveyed the neatly arranged jars on the floor, unable to fathom why these seemingly discarded, "dead" vessels held so much mystery. He mused, You jars were supposed to lie here motionless, yet you insist on causing trouble. Haven't you caused enough suffering for us? But then, a thought struck him: perhaps these jars held crucial information, and his annoyance instantly melted away, replaced by the keen gaze of a master detective examining every detail.

This time, he noticed that the belly of one jar appeared distended. Disbelief overriding caution, he rushed closer and exclaimed, "Damn it, why is this jar’s belly swollen?"

A swollen belly? That phrase ignited an inferno of imagination in Ma Xiong. Looking at Lu Zong, his expression was pure, unadulterated glee. His torrent of saliva returned as he rambled, "Swollen belly! Holy crap, these things must have gotten restless with their tools! They couldn't take it anymore and started defiling innocent women in broad daylight! Look, maybe they’ll even give birth to a little jar soon."

However, Lu Zong disagreed with Ma Xiong this time. He didn't see the situation as dramatically as Ma Xiong described. Even if these jars were alive, they couldn't possibly gestate that quickly. While he conceded their cellular replication might be rapid and powerful, reproduction speed was ultimately tied to cellular division rates. On Earth, finding a biological process that could double its mass so swiftly was practically unheard of; scientifically, Ma Xiong's theory was unsound. Thus, the suggestion was immediately shot down, and Lu Zong asked if anyone else had an opinion.

Ma Xiong's suggestion was dismissed, but he showed no signs of shame, knowing he had only been joking; only Lu Zong hadn't caught on. Looking around at the scene—only Han Chong, Lu Zong, and himself present—he realized there was no point in debating further. Ge Mei was an intern, unlikely to contribute any real insight, and Ma Xiong himself knew nothing about desert terrain. Even if his own vote counted, Lu Zong was ultimately the decision-maker. Under immense mental pressure, Lu Zong stated, "I suspect this jar has simply annexed the jars next to it, like one nation conquering another, making its economy and politics double the original size. Does that sound plausible to you?"

Ge Mei conceded that the logic held water, and ethically, it was certainly superior to Ma Xiong’s pregnancy theory. He quickly nodded, agreeing, "I lean towards Lu Zong’s idea; his assessments tend to be more accurate. Besides, look at this tent—it’s hardly suitable for childbirth."

Ma Xiong waved a dismissive hand. "Say what you will. I was just making a joke, and you all took it seriously. Let me tell you, don't think too highly of me; I’m just a simple man, no need to respect my opinions."

Lu Zong caught the barbed edge in Ma Xiong’s voice, realizing Ma Xiong felt overtly looked down upon. He suppressed his own indignation, focusing instead on the need to discover what was inside the jars as soon as possible.

He glanced up at the sky outside—still brilliantly clear, not a cloud in sight. The cruelest element was the sun, beating down directly onto the tent as if it were high noon, making the air suffocatingly hot.

Just as everyone was distracted, Ge Mei suddenly let out a sharp scream, jolting Lu Zong and Ma Xiong into tense alertness. "What is it, Ge Mei? Did you spot something wrong?"

Ge Mei stammered, "That… that jar, just now… it moved? Look! Are they moving?" He stared fixedly at the collection of jars, desperate to discern any abnormality. Finally, he caught sight of the jar’s movement again and relayed it to Lu Zong and Ma Xiong, a mixture of excitement and nervousness in his voice.

Their curiosity reached its peak. Both men watched the neatly arrayed jars below with bated breath, unsure how to proceed. Lu Zong’s expression was particularly inscrutable; Ge Mei felt he had never seen anyone react so dramatically—like a scene from a Stephen Chow movie, exaggerated and comedic. Yet, even Stephen Chow himself probably wouldn't be laughing now; they were living through a horror film, not a comedy.

Their eyes were glued to the jars, daring not to blink, afraid that even a momentary closure of the lids would cause them to miss the fleeting, exquisite moment of the jars’ movement. They only dared to blink when their eyes began to ache.

But after a long wait, the jars remained still. They began to doubt Ge Mei’s eyesight, wondering if the sheer number of jars had simply created an optical illusion, as even they were starting to feel strained. Sensing their doubt, Ge Mei rushed to defend himself: "I swear to you, I definitely saw that jar move, and its belly section actually concave inward! If you don’t believe me, just watch a little longer."

Ma Xiong waved his hand. "Forget it, forget it. If it were a pregnant woman’s belly, maybe I’d have patience, but I have zero interest in these things. Let’s just leave these worthless objects alone, find our way back, regroup, and maybe we can find an exit. Never mind the jars."

Lu Zong also felt they had wasted too much time on the jars. The temperature was nearing thirty degrees Celsius and still climbing; none of them could bear it much longer. Ma Xiong, especially, was sweating profusely, perhaps due to larger pores associated with men.

Lu Zong gave the jars a regretful look, then turned helplessly to leave the tent. Ma Xiong, showing no further attachment to the tent’s contents, turned to follow. But Ge Mei suddenly seemed to change his mind and called out to them, "Hey, you two! Hurry back here and look! Are these things moving or not?"

Startled by Ge Mei's sharp tone, they assumed he had spotted further movement and quickly turned back. Indeed, this time they saw it: the jars were collectively moving, arranged in descending order of size.

"Impossible!" Ma Xiong exclaimed in shock. "How could it change so fast? Someone must have moved them!" Their suspicion immediately fell on Ge Mei. They both fixed their gazes on him.

Ge Mei seemed to sense their doubt and quickly defended himself again. "Are you suspecting me of lying? What benefit would I get from deceiving you? I truly saw them moving significantly just now, and the speed was incredible. I have absolutely no reason to lie. Do you really not believe me?"

He then looked at them with an expression of utter innocence. His eyes revealed nothing—no guilt, no deception, only sincerity.

Now it was their turn to press the attack. Ge Mei’s explanation was sound, but why was it that only he could see the jars moving? Had the jars developed an attachment to Ge Mei, particularly the one he had been using as a chamber pot?

It was then that they noticed the jar Ge Mei had used as a chamber pot had vanished without a trace. Lu Zong felt a sudden dread and shouted aloud, "Bad news! Everyone look, where did Ge Mei’s chamber pot go? We can’t just lose such an essential item!" He immediately scanned the area, searching for the missing vessel. Ma Xiong and Ge Mei frantically joined the search, as if they were looking for a lifeline that could secure the continuation of humanity.

Honestly, Lu Zong wasn't sure why finding that specific jar had become so crucial; perhaps it was simply because he didn't know what else to do. He was accustomed to staying in the lab, not directing others. This was effectively his first day as a leader, and he felt obligated to exercise his new authority.

But there was no trace of the jar anywhere inside the tent. The furnishings were sparse: just a bed, these jars, some washing supplies, and a dilapidated stool haphazardly placed on the floor. Still, the interior was surprisingly neat and clean, clearly the room of a woman. With such simple arrangements, everything should have been visible. Had the jars simply dematerialized?

Ma Xiong asked, "Could it be that one of the other jars ate the chamber pot?"

Lu Zong recounted the jars again: sixteen in total. Now one was missing—the chamber pot. But none of the remaining jars appeared to have swollen bellies, suggesting one hadn't consumed another. Besides, given the intense stench that must have clung to it, few jars would choose that one.

He looked at Ge Mei. "Ge Mei, since you saw the jars moving earlier, did you get a clear look at how they moved?"

Ge Mei nodded. "I saw the top row suddenly jump down in unison. It was too fast; I couldn't make it out clearly. Then the second row jumped down from above in the same synchronized manner—it looked like an organized, premeditated action."