Chapter Forty-Eight: Imagination

"This... this is..." Li Qingshui stared at the object encased in resin before him, scrutinizing the patterns upon its surface, trying to discern the contours of the brain within. His eyes widened impossibly, disbelief etched deep into his gaze.

"It is a human brain." Even though he saw it with his own eyes, Li Qingshui could scarcely believe it; everything before him had utterly overturned his previous understanding of biology. "Is this brain... still alive?"

"Yes, it's alive, and it functions normally. Preserving the vitality of a brain—this is the ability I am most proud of since my mutation." As the willow spoke, it withdrew the intricate and delicate network of vines, which faded into the mist above.

"Now, do you understand why I speak the language of humans?"

"I do." Li Qingshui nodded, accepting that existence itself was reason enough. He took a few deep breaths to steady himself, then asked, "But how many brains can you control?"

"Not many at the moment, only seven." There was a note of regret in the willow's voice. "The information within the human brain is simply too complex—not only vast, but also tangled and chaotic. When I controlled the sixth brain, the information began to collide and coalesce, like a twisted skein of thread, making it very difficult to process. So, after I took the seventh, I decided not to add more for now, lest the information completely coagulate and cause a 'short circuit' in my mind."

"I see. Then, what is your intention in capturing the two of us?" Li Qingshui looked up at the towering silhouette above and asked, "Originally, as a producer in the food chain, a tree should not lack the organic nutrients needed for growth. Swallowing me seems of little use. Moreover, you just said that roots are no longer useful to you, suggesting you've evolved other ways of acquiring nutrients. With two methods of organic intake, your body should not be lacking in nourishment."

"If my body is of no use to you, what remains is only the brain. Yet you just said you cannot accommodate more information. So I ask you—why did you capture us?"

"You are clever. Your mind must be filled with valuable knowledge; I almost wish to replace one of these brains with yours." As the willow spoke, another intricate vine descended from the mist. "This person's brain is full of pointless information—obscenity, violence, and endless mundane chatter. I wish I could clear his place for you, but since I have severed my own roots, I no longer possess that ability."

"Heh, so I am a lucky one after all." Li Qingshui forced a bitter smile and continued, "You still haven't told me your purpose in capturing us."

"Questions." The aged, hollow voice echoed again. "I have questions within me, questions that I must resolve. Though I cannot absorb vast streams of information now, one or two questions are still manageable. So, I wish to ask you a few things."

"What benefit is there for me?"

"If your answers satisfy me, I will let you go. If not, you will exist only as my nourishment." As the willow spoke, a thick, sinister vine reached from above. Unlike the previous delicate vines, this one was broad and bristling with razor-sharp barbs, lined with dozens of empty, hollow human skins. "If you cannot answer, you will end up like them."

"Why should I believe you?" Li Qingshui stared at the hollow skins, swallowing with difficulty.

"Because you have no choice." Retracting the hanging skins, the willow replied, "If you refuse to answer, I will simply find others. My life is long, and I am patient. I am not desperate for answers, nor are you the only one who knows them. You may choose not to believe me and become fertilizer now, or you may trust me and take your chance. But I assure you, I have no reason to deceive you."

"Alright, I admit I have no choice. And your words are quite artful—I suspect at least one of those seven brains belonged to a lawyer." Under such a roof, Li Qingshui was left with no options by the willow's argument. He could only respond, "Ask—what do you wish to know?"

"I wish to know: what is wisdom?" The willow’s hollow voice trembled faintly.

"Human definitions of wisdom are many and varied—creativity, discovery, synthesis, logical reasoning, and so on. Opinions abound. But I believe the core of wisdom is imagination."

"Explain."

"From your own knowledge, you should know that discovery, synthesis, even logical reasoning—many animals possess these. They are not uniquely human abilities."

"Yes, mice tidy their nests, lions and tigers can spot prey, monkeys and apes will move boxes to reach bananas they cannot otherwise reach. So, all the abilities you mentioned, including logical reasoning, are indeed found in many species. Yet they do not seem especially wise. According to your argument, the essential difference between humans and other animals is..."

"Exactly—it is imagination, the true essence of wisdom." Li Qingshui continued, "The reasoning behind scientific formulas, the creation of tools, even poetry, literature, and drama—every facet of human civilization is founded upon imagination."

"I understand. Your answer satisfies me." With these words, the willow fell silent, as if contemplating the very concept of imagination. Li Qingshui waited quietly below.

After a brief pause, the willow spoke again: "Then, my second question—how did humans acquire imagination?"

"There are many theories, but the most plausible is that human imagination arose from hypothesizing about natural disasters." Li Qingshui recalled his knowledge. "I once watched a documentary suggesting that the first humans to develop imagination were Africans. During the rainy season, they had abundant food and water, but in the dry season, many died from thirst. After countless generations, one group began to imagine the disasters of drought during the rainy season, so they invented tools to store water and food while supplies were plentiful. Thus, they became the first humans to gain imagination."

"A crisis hypothesis? So that is how it happened." The willow fell silent once more.

This time, after a moment, Li Qingshui felt the roots binding his waist begin to writhe. Looking down, he saw the vines retracting from his waist to his thighs, then to his ankles, and finally disappearing into the earth.

"I am satisfied with your answers. You may leave," the willow’s voice echoed from above.

"Before I go, may I ask you a question?" Hearing he was free, Li Qingshui’s face broke into uncontrollable joy, but he did not immediately leave. Instead, he stood his ground and continued, "May I?"

"You may. Ask."

"Why, when you already possess a human brain, do you still ask me what wisdom is?"

"Because I do not possess wisdom."