Chapter 2
The sudden sound startled Qian Hui. He whipped around, scanning the area frantically, but couldn’t locate its source.
More zombies poured in from all directions—about thirty in total. Their speeds and appearances varied, but all targeted the massive man-eating flower at the forefront.
Chaos erupted. The air thickened with a foul stench.
A short, gaunt zombie moved fastest. Agile and nimble, it scaled rocks and rubble with elongated arms, leaping onto the man-eating flower’s leaves. Its claws raked deep furrows into the stem.
The flower retaliated furiously, swiping its thick stem downward. The zombie dodged with practiced ease.
Seeing the flower injured, Qian Hui felt an involuntary pang of worry.
His face paled. Forcing himself to breathe, he edged toward the plant.
He couldn’t be mistaken—this was Xiaozhi from the plantl courtyard, the man-eating flower with spines crowning its head.
But the old Xiaozhi had barely reached his waist. How… how had it grown so enormous?
Zombies continued their assault. The flower’s dark green stem showed raw, pale flesh where they’d gnawed, and half a leaf had been torn away.
The man-eating flower’s ferocity remained undiminished. Using its overwhelming size advantage, it crushed a horde of zombies. When a short zombie leaped to its chin, the flower smashed it against the wall, though this counterattack also tore off a small piece of its own flesh.
Both the man-eating flower and the zombie horde were completely focused on each other, failing to notice another figure slowly approaching from the side.
Qian Hui scrambled over a low wall and nearly fell to the ground. He barely managed to regain his footing, then continued moving forward through the rubble.
Qian Hui wondered if he’d been asleep for too long. His body felt weak, and his stiff arms couldn’t lift properly.
Fortunately, he no longer had a health bar, so he wouldn’t suffer the same fate as before—where a single fall would leave him with barely any health remaining.
After passing two piles of rubble and getting closer to the man-eating flower, half a zombie’s body flew through the air and crashed behind Qian Hui.
Qian Hui shrank back, cautiously peering forward.
Nearly half the zombie horde had been eliminated. The most powerful short zombie, however, remained stubbornly alive, using its roars to direct the remaining zombies in their attacks.
Upon closer inspection, Qian Hui noticed two long-armed, short-statured zombies had appeared at some point.
The two zombies moved like perfectly coordinated twins. One drew the flower’s attention while the other raised a metal spike, driving it viciously into the man-eating flower’s exposed nape.
Qian Hui’s heart skipped a beat, his fingers tightening around the stone.
Fortunately, the massive man-eating flower’s tough skin and thick flesh meant the strike wasn’t fatal. It casually shook its head, swaying its leaf-coiled whip.
Suddenly, as if sensing something amiss, the flower raised its head toward the distance.
The man-eating flower’s eyes—small and round, positioned above its fanged jaws—burned with fury, their pitch-black pupils seething with rage.
Meanwhile, Qian Hui was still struggling to climb over the rubble. When he looked up again, he saw the man-eating flower moving sideways.
Its massive body slid several meters with each sway of its stem, quickly leaving behind slower-moving zombies. Now, trying to find the flower again would likely be difficult…
However, with the man-eating flower surrounded by zombie hordes and injured, perhaps it would be wise to hide for now.
Qian Hui tried to reassure himself as he leaned back against the rock, slightly relaxing.
Suddenly, a mechanical voice with a hint of familiarity chimed again:
[Two or more mutated plants detected! Obtained Rookie Gift Pack!]
Qian Hui tensed up again, holding his breath.
At that moment, movement came from the street outside.
Several footsteps approached, accompanied by voices of people talking.
“Last month, a base fell. There are many low-level zombies here… Keep an eye out—they might evolve into higher-level ones.”
“That escaped pepper fled here? It’s practically asking for death…”
“Didn’t you get the message? The man-eating flower is nearby too.”
“The man-eating flower isn’t our responsibility… but we should still be cautious.”
Qian Hui pricked up his ears, listening intently. Three people were speaking as they passed through the rubble near his hiding spot. One of them fiddled with a metallic device.
The group halted abruptly, scanning their surroundings with wary expressions.
The instrument could detect traces of all abnormal creatures—zombies, mutated plants, or even ability users in an altered state.
The escaped mutated pepper had last been spotted nearby, likely hiding in the ruins.
Just as they prepared to search thoroughly, a low-level zombie staggered out from a corner.
One of the group raised their hand, unleashing a wind blade that pierced through the zombie’s forehead.
The zombie collapsed, covering Qian Hui’s hiding spot with its body.
The instrument’s needle hadn’t fully reset, possibly still affected by the zombie’s lingering energy.
Qian Hui remained motionless, curled in his hiding place, waiting quietly.
Moments later, one of the outsiders called out, “New signal! Over there!”
Abandoning their search, the group quickly packed away their instruments and departed.
Qian Hui only let out a sigh of relief after the footsteps had faded into silence several minutes prior.
Were those… humans?
The only human Qian Hui had ever encountered was Nan Tingjin.
This place seemed fraught with danger. Until he could confirm his safety, he dared not act recklessly.
Moreover… those voices had mentioned “peppers” and “man-eating flowers” in a distinctly unfriendly tone.
The zombie corpse at the cave entrance emitted a foul stench. Qian Hui covered his mouth and nose with his sleeve, still remembering that peculiar mechanical sound from earlier.
The sound had echoed twice, as if originating from his very mind.
Qian Hui began scrutinizing himself, running his fingers through his hair and across his cheeks.
Then, he noticed a small white translucent square in the lower right corner of his vision – visible even with his eyes closed.
As Qian Hui focused on the square, a small frame suddenly materialized before him:
[Select Your Faction]
[Human Faction] [Zombie Faction] [Plant Faction]
Below, in smaller text, it read: “Choose your faction, claim your beginner’s gift, and embark on your game journey.”
What is this…
Qian Hui hesitated, frozen in uncertainty.
And earlier, that voice had mentioned detecting more than two plants. Besides Xiaozhi…
Qian Hui had been hiding in the narrow stone cave for hours, his eyes gradually adjusting to the darkness.
He rubbed his stiff knees, and in a momentary glance, caught a glimpse of green out of the corner of his eye.
Qian Hui turned to look for a while, then slowly shuffled over and carefully touched it.
It was a leaf.
He felt around more carefully and pulled out a green object from between the rocks.
When he saw the whole thing clearly, Qian Hui’s eyes widened.
It was a pepper, about two palm lengths tall, completely green, and covered in wounds. Its two leafy legs were the most injured, nearly half of them broken.
Its eyes were tightly closed, its fate uncertain, and its body felt very warm.
Qian Hui leaned closer to examine it, smelling the faint scent of pepper. It must be unconscious.
This pepper… he didn’t recognize it.
The plant courtyard also had a pepper, but it was red, while this one was green and looked different. He’d never seen one like this before.
But having spent all day with plants, he felt instinctively close to it.
The pepper looked badly injured. He wondered if it had been attacked by zombies, or…
Earlier, the humans who passed through had mentioned “peppers” in their conversation.
Qian Hui touched the pepper’s wounds with sympathy, then looked again at the dialogue box that had always been there.
What was this game? What was this gift package?
Qian Hui knew he wasn’t human. He was a zombie, but the zombies outside all wanted to attack him.
His gaze fell on the final “Plant Faction” option. He looked down at the unconscious green pepper.
Nan Tingjin had mentioned before that his “work” in the plant courtyard could be treated as a game, though he needed to protect himself properly.
The word “game” didn’t carry negative connotations in Qian Hui’s mind.
In the end, Qian Hui mustered his courage and selected the Plant Faction.
As his will shifted, the dialogue box immediately responded:
[Selection successful]
The small box vanished, replaced by a larger interface.
Qian Hui scanned it briefly—main status, inventory, field guide, shop…
He tried opening the shop but saw “Not yet available.” The inventory contained a few items.
These were from the beginner’s gift pack. One slot read “Universal Medicine.”
Qian Hui tilted his head, then selected the item.
In an instant, a small pill appeared in his palm.
His eyes widened. He picked it up, examined it closely, and sniffed it.
Summoning his courage, he licked the pill. The herbal flavor filled his mouth, and he felt his arm wound begin to heal.
It worked!
Surprised yet curious, Qian Hui considered for a moment before stuffing the pill into the green pepper’s mouth.
The pill dissolved within the pepper’s mouth. Its fever subsided rapidly, and the injured leg began forming a scab.
Now that Qian Hui felt reassured, he began exploring the other contents of the interface.
He opened the field guide, which displayed two glowing icons.
One was the Green Pepper, and the other was the man-eating flower.
Below the Green Pepper, it read: [Bounded], [Intermediate Mutated Plant], [Loyalty: 0.1%], [Status: Severe Injury, Unhealed].
The section for other skills and information was blank, indicating that it would be unlocked through exploration or when loyalty reached 50%.
The man-eating flower’s information was even sparser, with only [Unbounded] displayed.
Further back were several extinguished icons, each bearing faint silhouettes and labeled [Undiscovered Special Grade Mutated Plants].
Qian Hui studied them carefully, feeling a sense of familiarity, as if they resembled the plants from the small courtyard.
But having even lost track of Xiaozhi, he had no idea where to find other plants.
Feeling disheartened, Qian Hui closed the field guide.
He then opened the Faction panel, which contained two icons: “Faction Points” and “Prestige Points”.
[ Faction Points: 1
Prestige Points: 0 (Function to be unlocked)
Belonging Faction: Plants
Faction Ranking: Third
(Current First: Zombie Faction; Current Second: Human Faction) ]
[ Plant Faction: Special-grade mutated plants possess formidable strength, with individual capabilities reaching terrifying heights. Their mere presence strikes fear into all living beings. However, their numbers are scarce, and they frequently engage in infighting rather than cooperation. Rarely do they form coordinated teams. Moreover, combat effectiveness drops drastically below special-grade levels, while mid- and low-tier mutated plants struggle to survive. ]
Beside the rankings, there was an analysis. Qian Hui read it carefully. The gist was that all three factions had their advantages, but the plants preferred to fight alone. They lacked the zombie hordes’ leadership structure, the humans’ communication skills, and their mutual protection. Over the past two years, they’d suffered continuous hunting and culling, leaving the entire faction in poor condition.
Further down, there was additional information:
[ Faction Strength: Weak
Host Strength: Weak
Base Affiliation: None ]
So, by choosing the plant faction, he had no base to join and little chance of finding companions for help.
Qian Hui didn’t fully understand. He rubbed his eyes and leaned back against the rock wall.
This… doesn’t seem good.
As if sensing his mood, the game interface popped up with a message:
[ Congratulations! You’ve chosen the Plant Faction! This will unlock unique gameplay. Complete tasks to obtain massive rewards and exclusive strategies! (Click here for task details) ]
Qian Hui clicked the link, which brought up the main status bar.
[ Host Status: Extreme Danger (Urgent need for food and hydration)
Plants Possessed: 0 (Acquire any plant with 70% loyalty)
Quest Progress: Form bonds with two plants (1/2)
Reward: Unlock the shop ]
Qian Hui remembered having a stamina recovery pill in his backpack. He took it out and consumed it.
However, the pill’s effect was limited. His condition remained critical, still needing proper food and water.
If he stayed here any longer, he’d probably die.
There was one last item in his backpack: a [Basic Weapon]—a dagger.
Qian Hui considered briefly, then chose to leave rather than wait for death.
He pulled out his dagger, cradled the still-unconscious pepper in his arms, and kicked aside the zombies blocking the cave entrance before making his escape.
The sky outside was darkening. Qian Hui tightened his grip on the dagger and scanned his surroundings.
The game flashed another notification, indicating a direction with a strong scent of vegetation where the probability of finding basic supplies was higher.
Following the arrow’s direction, Qian Hui began walking while keeping an eye on his surroundings.
Just as he had walked a short distance, the green pepper in his arms stirred.
It opened its eyes, saw an unfamiliar face, and froze momentarily.
Qian Hui whispered, “You’re awake…”
Before he could finish his sentence, the pepper’s eyes turned wary, and it spat out two pepper seeds.
The seeds struck Qian Hui’s arm, their heat still searing through the fabric.
Caught off guard, he instinctively released his grip.
Lajiao seized the opportunity to break free, rolling twice on the ground.
When it sat up, it found Qian Hui cowering in a corner, staring back at it with equal panic.
Qian Hui stammered, “Y-you were unconscious just now…”
He wanted to explain, but he wasn’t sure if the pepper could understand him.
Just then, a low-level zombie approached and noticed Qian Hui and Lajiao.
Lajiao looked at the approaching zombie, then at Qian Hui and the dagger in his hand, emitting a threatening “woo-woo” sound.
Its injuries seemed to have improved somewhat, but it still couldn’t stand on its legs, greatly reducing its combat capabilities.
The boy in front of it looked somewhat strange, both like a zombie and like a human.
But whether it was a zombie or a human, to a plant, it was still a threat.
Lajiao spat out another pepper seed, trying to scare off Qian Hui, and scrambled at the stones to escape.
It tried to make a fierce face, but fear and despair showed in its eyes.
Qian Hui keenly picked up on this hint of emotion, feeling hesitant.
Lajiao had attacked him earlier, but its wounds were still far from healed.
Qian Hui had always been timid, but he couldn’t bring himself to abandon this pepper.
Seeing the low-level zombie getting closer, Qian Hui made a decision. He got up and approached Lajiao, quickly picking it up.
Lajiao struggled violently, but Qian Hui held it firmly in his arms, soothing it, “Don’t be afraid… don’t be afraid…”
He swung the dagger to stab the low-level zombie, then turned to flee.
Lajiao had little strength left, and now it couldn’t even spit out any more seeds. In despair, it closed its eyes.
***
Meanwhile, deep in the dense forest far from the abandoned streets…
Seven or eight ability users split into two teams, their gazes filled with mutual hostility.
“Mr. Wen paid the commission, and this is how you handle it?” Liang Jie’s gaze swept across the opposing team as he spoke coldly. “Lost track of the man-eating flower and interfered with our mission.”
The two teams had different objectives. Liang Jie’s group was tasked with pursuing the escaped Lajiao, while the Black Spine Mountain Base team had taken a bounty to capture the man-eating flower.
The man-eating flower had appeared in the area by coincidence, but the Black Spine Mountain Base team had arrived too late, allowing it to escape again. They’d even sent out false coordinate signals.
Since the signal could be received by anyone within range, Liang Jie’s team had been misled, delaying their search efforts.
“Who knew you were here too?” The leader of the opposing team, a tall, thin man with dark skin, picked his ear nonchalantly. “If it’s lost, it’s lost. Maybe it’s already dead.”
“Mr. Wen wants it alive,” Liang Jie said, suppressing his anger. “You’re the captain? Since we’ve met, follow my plan in a moment…”
The tall man’s lips twitched. “Who do you think you are, ordering me around?”
Both teams stood ready to fight, but the tall man’s expression suddenly changed.
He looked behind Liang Jie, and his aggressive attitude softened.
Liang Jie turned around. A man stood in the nearby woods.
He frowned slightly, quickly changed his expression, and said politely, “So you’re here too.”
As the man walked closer, Liang Jie took a small step back without showing it.
Even though they’d only met once before, he recognized the man immediately.
The tall man lowered his head and said respectfully, “Boss.”
This was Nan Tingjin, the leader of the Black Spine Mountain Base.
Nan Tingjin walked closer, his gaze sweeping over Liang Jie.
The look felt like a physical weight. Being stared at by a much stronger ability user, the intense pressure made Liang Jie’s back tense up.
Then he saw that Nan Tingjin’s clothes were stained with blood, and he held two crystal cores in his hand.
The blood was fresh; Nan Tingjin had just killed two high-level zombies before arriving.
Realizing this, Liang Jie let out a slight sigh of relief.
The Black Spine Mountain Base only accepted ability users, and most of its inhabitants were bandit-like thugs.
One could imagine what kind of person would become the base’s leader.
Cold-blooded, brutal, temperamental, and taking pleasure in killing—these were all descriptions of Nan Tingjin.
In his eyes, there wasn’t much difference between humans and zombies. Many ordinary humans and ability users had died by his hand.
And since he’d just killed two high-level zombies, he might be in a good mood.
Nan Tingjin removed his bloodstained gloves and casually tossed them out along with the crystal core. The tall man hurried forward to catch them.
Lifting his gaze slightly, Nan Tingjin said in a detached tone, “Let’s go.”
The tall man acknowledged the order, and he and the others followed Nan Tingjin away.
Liang Jie watched them depart, remaining rooted in place.
His subordinate asked, “Captain?”
Liang Jie turned his gaze away. “Keep our distance from them.”
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