Embers of the Green Tide: Symbiote

In 2119 AD, human civilization was in the "early stage of interstellar exploration" with rapid technological development. The global population exceeded 12 billion, urban clusters were spread out, and technologies such as artificial intelligence and genetic engineering were widely used. However, an unexpected "cosmic ray storm" broke all the calm - this was not a natural celestial phenomenon, but an "experimental signal wave" launched by alien civilization "observers" from distant galaxies in order to transform the earth's ecology and prepare for subsequent invasions. The moment the ray storm swept across the earth, plants around the world began to experience a strange surge in activity: vines on urban green belts broke through the concrete constraints and grew wildly, crops in farmland mutated into carnivorous forms, and the trunks of ancient trees in the forest expanded dozens of times, with roots penetrating deep into the earth's crust. Initially, humans tried to curb the expansion of plants using chemical agents, high-temperature incineration, etc. However, the mutated plants were immune to conventional means and would release "spore clouds" carrying genetically modified factors. Those who came into contact with the plants would suffer from skin ulcers in mild cases and genetic aberrations in severe cases.