Translator’s Note:
Final exams are finally over, it’s holiday time! I can finally get back to updating! TAT
Anyway, it’s been so long that I even forgot which plant goes with which name, there are just too many! I need to check the plant list I made first, UwU.
If you also forgot like me, here’s the list!
Mutant Plant List (temporary, may change later):
Xiaozhi/The man-eating flower Xiaofen/Little mushroom
Lajiao/Green pepper Ruanteng/Little vine
Xiao Baocai/Little cabbage Tudou/Potato
Luobo/Carrot Xiaocao/Mimosa/Shameplant
Yumi/Corn Facaishu/Money Tree
Zhusun/Bamboo Shot Xiaokui/Sunflower
Pigguo/Apple Xaio Guo/Round nut
Duorou/Little succulent Lulian/Durian
Chapter 38
The gaze behind him felt almost tangible. Sensing Nan Tingjin’s eyes still on him, Qian Hui ignored him.
The battle ended, and the plants instinctively gathered around Qian Hui, expecting him to wipe their faces.
This time, there weren’t many zombies, and with Xiao Guo’s help, they remained relatively clean. Only Xiao Guo, who had rolled twice on the ground, was covered in dust.
Qian Hui carefully wiped Xiao Guo several times with a towel before cleaning the leaves of the other plants.
Lajiao squatted nearby, breaking the excavated crystal cores into small pieces and diligently dividing them evenly.
Just then, a belated game notification appeared before Qian Hui’s eyes:
[ The sixth faction conflict has concluded. Congratulations to our side for securing victory! Reward: 400 Prestige Points~ ]
So much…
Qian Hui thought he had misread it. He checked again, and it was indeed 400.
He had received notifications for each zombie kill, yet with only eight zombies defeated, he had earned 400 Prestige Points—more than the 500 he had received for winning the previous battle.
Could it be because these zombies were related to a hidden quest?
Or perhaps because the Human Faction was present?
Qian Hui couldn’t quite figure it out, but regardless, receiving such a reward was a welcome surprise.
Despite having been here for quite some time, the “Host Strength” indicator on the game’s main interface had only improved from “Weak” to “Relatively Strong,” while the “Faction Strength” remained “Weak,” ranking third.
The number of mutant plants around him was steadily increasing, and their combined combat power was growing stronger. However, the Plant Squad’s strength alone seemed insufficient to influence the overall situation.
After agreeing to rescue Mimosa’s friend, Qian Hui realized that even more mutant plants were in danger, and a faint worry lingered in his heart.
The number of plants was already far fewer than the zombies. Should they follow humanity’s example and gather in large numbers to establish bases?
But could mutant plants even have bases?
If so, what would they look like?
With fewer than 3,000 Prestige Points and the new Shop still locked, Qian Hui had no idea how to build a base.
His thoughts instinctively turned to Nan Tingjin, the leader of the Black Spine Mountain Base. Nan Tingjin must know a great deal about this.
Qian Hui pressed his lips together, resisting the urge to look back at him.
First, rescue the plants that are being held captive… Asking now would be pointless without enough Prestige Points.
By noon, Xiaozhi had found a safe spot to rest and eat lunch.
The plants lined up to receive their food. Qian Hui had Xiao Baocai deliver Nan Tingjin’s portion.
The journey was long. Based on sensing the direction and distance, Mimosa estimated it would take two days to reach their destination.
But this estimate didn’t account for rest stops.
Even if they ate on the move, Xiaozhi still needed to sleep. As the sole exposed member of the group, it had to maintain sufficient energy to respond to emergencies.
Adding in sleep and occasional breaks, the journey would likely take at least three days.
Luobo, however, felt they couldn’t afford to delay. Once they arrived, they would need to scout the area and refine their battle plan. The sooner they got there, the better.
So it proposed that while Xiaozhi rested, the rest of the group could ride on its carrot spikes.
Luobo crossed its arms and puffed out its chest. “Hmph!”
Its suggestion was met with silence from all the plants, including Qian Hui.
Ride on the carrot spikes… How would that work? Would they link together like before, each plant grabbing onto the one ahead?
The plants might manage, but what about Qian Hui and Nan Tingjin?
Luobo remained confident, pointing at Xiao Baocai.
Its carrot spikes were strong enough to carry weight and could be steered precisely. With Ruanteng’s help, they could simply strap Xiao Baocai’s cabbage shell onto the spikes.
The only slight inconvenience was that the carrot spikes had a limited flight time. Every so often, they needed to find a suitable landing spot before taking off again.
Lulian was the first to raise his hand in agreement. The other plants exchanged glances and seemed to think it was a viable plan.
Qian Hui hesitated, still feeling uneasy.
Just then, Xiao Guo, the nut, jumped forward.
He enlarged his body slightly, placed Xiao Baocai, the small cabbage, on his head, and hopped in a circle before stopping in front of Qian Hui.
Xiao Guo bounced in place and gave an enthusiastic “Hmm!”
He wanted to offer his help by carrying the cabbage shell on his head.
However, Xiao Guo could only move by hopping, which was noisy and unstable.
Xiao Baocai had nearly fallen off several times already and was now clinging tightly to Xiao Guo’s head, afraid to move.
Compared to that… Luobo’s proposal seemed much more reliable.
The other plants had limited abilities and no better ideas.
Qian Hui picked up Xiao Baocai, then Xiao Guo, and praised them both. “Xiao Guo is especially strong! That’s why you need to protect everyone.”
With two Special-Grade Mutant Plants specializing in combat taking turns leading the way, part of the security mission was assigned to Xiao Guo.
Qian Hui phrased it delicately, asking Xiao Guo to simply stay close to the other plants.
Xiao Guo considered this, his eyes gleaming slightly. “Hmm!”
The matter was settled. With continuous travel, they were certain to reach their destination in two days.
During a brief rest after the meal, Luobo summoned Ruanteng to test the cabbage shell.
The cabbage shell, when bound together for flight, couldn’t maintain its invisibility and would be conspicuous in broad daylight. Therefore, Luobo was assigned to nighttime duty.
After diving back into Xiaozhi’s mouth, Luobo immediately went to sleep.
Mimosa enlarged its form and approached Qian Hui.
Qian Hui fed it a few pills and gently stroked its leaves. “You should rest too. Xiaozhi knows the way.”
In truth, Mimosa was the most exhausted of them all. To discern directions and distances, it needed to maintain constant, intense focus, lest it be distracted by other auras along the way and misjudge their course.
Mimosa shook its leaves to indicate it was fine.
Two days without sleep or rest were nothing. In the past, when it was held by Human Ability Users, it had endured up to four days without rest.
Though tired, Mimosa was also exhilarated and filled with anticipation.
It rubbed against Qian Hui’s hand again, curled its leaves around the pills, and returned outside.
Qian Hui couldn’t stop it, feeling a pang of sympathy.
He casually opened the Handbook to check Mimosa’s status and discovered its loyalty had already reached 50%.
Rescuing its imprisoned friends had been Mimosa’s long-held secret desire. Even with the outcome uncertain, it placed unwavering trust in Qian Hui and the Plant Squad.
They continued their journey in the afternoon. The plants grew increasingly bored inside the Xiaozhi’s mouth, occasionally bickering.
For the sixth time, Yumi described to Tudou how it felt to use its charged attack. Tudou, unable to bear it any longer, punched Yumi and ran off to play with Xiao Guo.
Xiao Guo watched Tudou approach and blinked.
Though Xiao Guo rarely spoke and seemed uninterested in interacting with other plants, it never stopped them from approaching.
Luobo was asleep, with Lulian standing guard beside him. Nearby stood the quiet Xiaokui and Zhusun.
Ruanteng, needing help at night, quietly wrapped around Qian Hui’s wrist and fell asleep as well.
Duo Rou, the little succulent, quickly befriended Xiao Baocai and Pigguo. The three huddled together, joined by Facaishu.
Facaishu created a miniature defensive barrier, while Pigguo continuously blew smoke inside, playing hide-and-seek.
Lajiao sat in the crevices between Xiaozhi’s teeth, occasionally peeking out.
While Luobo rested, Lajiao became the “substitute captain,” assisting Xiaozhi in keeping watch.
After dark, Xiaozhi ventured into a forest and found a lake.
That night, Xiao Baocai brought out the Cabbage Bowl, and Qian Hui bathed in the lake.
Having left the base and lost conveniences like hair dryers, Lajiao continued to dry Qian Hui’s hair with pepper seeds.
Lajiao worked meticulously, even mimicking Nan Tingjin’s earlier gestures by frequently combing through Qian Hui’s hair with its hands.
Several days passed, and most of the hair dye had faded, revealing Qian Hui’s original hair color.
Qian Hui called Xiao Baocai over and instructed it to take Nan Tingjin to the Cabbage Bowl.
Since Nan Tingjin hadn’t left the group, they couldn’t treat him too poorly while he remained with them.
Xiao Baocai nodded and scurried to a nearby tree.
It tugged at Nan Tingjin’s hem, then pointed toward the lake and let out two soft “woo-woo” sounds.
Xiaozhi had already refilled the Cabbage Bowl with water, and newly purchased clothes lay neatly arranged on the grass beside it.
Nan Tingjin glanced up, paused briefly, then rose and walked over.
Once the two of them and all the plants had settled inside the cabbage shell, Luobo perked up and pulled out a carrot spike.
Ruanteng, the soft vine, sprouted four tendrils that tightly bound the cabbage shell to the carrot spike.
Mimosa pressed itself against Luobo’s forehead. Gripping the carrot spike, it swung it upward with a sudden, forceful motion, launching the cabbage shell into the air.
The cabbage shell shot skyward, wobbled violently for a moment, then stabilized.
Luobo stood calmly atop it, using the carrot spike to steer.
While Luobo remained composed, the plants inside the cabbage shell panicked, terrified of falling.
Though the initial turbulence quickly subsided, the night breeze still caused the cabbage shell to tremble slightly. Even the smallest movement from the plants inside sent it shuddering.
Tudou, a bit afraid of heights, huddled tightly against Qian Hui along with Xiao Baocai and the other plants.
Xiaozhi lay dozing in a corner, while Facaishu guarded a few others.
Gradually, as the cabbage shell’s flight stabilized, the plants began to relax.
Qian Hui felt the same. He shifted his legs and accidentally brushed against Nan Tingjin.
Nan Tingjin had been brought along as well, making the space inside the cabbage shell even more cramped.
Qian Hui pretended not to notice him, closing his eyes and settling in to sleep.
Time passed slowly, and one by one, the plants around him drifted off.
Qian Hui didn’t sleep for long. A sudden jolt woke him—the carrot spike’s flight had reached its limit. Luobo, the carrot, had stopped to land and prepare to switch to a fresh one.
Yawning, Qian Hui rubbed his eyes.
Outside, Luobo must have replaced the spike. The cabbage shell took off again, another jolt shaking the interior.
Seizing the opportunity, Nan Tingjin opened his eyes and leaned closer to Qian Hui.
He touched Qian Hui’s palm and gently took his hand. “Want me to hold you?”
Afraid of waking the other plants, Qian Hui didn’t push him away directly. Instead, he turned his head and said, “No.”
Despite Qian Hui’s refusal, Nan Tingjin gently pulled him into his arms, cradling the sleeping plant nestled there as well.
Qian Hui shifted slightly, then gave up struggling.
Inside the dim cabbage shell, he tilted his head and caught the scent of lake water clinging to Nan Tingjin’s collar.
“You… you thought I was lying to you, didn’t you?” Qian Hui murmured.
Nan Tingjin stroked his hair. “No.”
“But you also said,” Qian Hui pressed, “you don’t remember liking me anymore.”
Again, Nan Tingjin replied, “No.”
He lowered his head and kissed Qian Hui’s cheek.
Unable to push him away at that moment, Qian Hui, still harboring some resentment, couldn’t resist biting Nan Tingjin’s chin hard.
Regret washed over him immediately. “Will you… will you get infected?” he asked anxiously.
Strictly speaking, he was a zombie. Being bitten by a zombie could turn someone else into one too…
Nan Tingjin’s lips curved into a smile. He raised a hand, his fingertip tracing the blunt edge of Qian Hui’s canine tooth, then kissed him again. “No.”
Relieved, Qian Hui grumbled, “Don’t kiss me anymore.”
Nan Tingjin responded with a soft “Okay,” pulling Qian Hui into his arms. “Sleep now.”
Qian Hui leaned against him, unconsciously nuzzling closer, and quietly closed his eyes.
As dawn broke, Luobo found a place to land and relieved Xiaozhi.
They continued their journey without encountering any further incidents. Flying with the carrot spikes allowed them to bypass some detours, bringing them closer to their destination faster than Mimosa had anticipated.
A day and a half later, around three in the afternoon.
Inside Sky Base, three squads quietly slipped out from different directions, taking circuitous routes to converge on the same target.
Wen Jue’s Precognition had confirmed that Cabbage hadn’t left. The base had dispatched covert search teams, and they discovered it in the southeast.
Cabbage had lingered there for an extended period, seemingly observing the base and searching for another opportunity to strike.
To capture this Special-Grade Mutant Plant alive, the base first set traps within its perimeter, hoping Cabbage would walk right into them.
However, whether it sensed the danger or not, Cabbage only appeared once more.
It injured several members of an outer patrol squad before swiftly retreating, choosing not to breach the base again.
Fearing Cabbage might decide to leave and become harder to track, the base’s teams conferred and resolved to launch an offensive.
The afternoon sun was warm as Cabbage stretched its gauntlets, shed two leaves from its outer shell, and half-reclined on a rock to bask in the sunlight.
It decided to wait until sunset before returning to the base’s perimeter to beat up a few more people, then leave for good.
Having failed to rescue the plants within the base, Cabbage sighed silently.
There’s nothing more I can do. I tried my best. If the opportunity arises in the future, I’ll come back and check on them…
Wait, what’s that sound?
Cabbage instantly flipped to its feet, its outer leaves and gauntlets returning to their original state as it warily scanned its surroundings.
It seemed to hear faint footsteps, and the scent carried by the wind had subtly changed.
Sensing danger, Cabbage decided to relocate to a safer spot to observe the situation.
It leaped off the rock and had only taken a few steps when two massive fireballs hurtled toward it from the distance.
Cabbage nimbly dodged, and the fireballs slammed into the ruins behind it with a deafening boom.
At the same moment, the clear sky suddenly darkened with storm clouds, accompanied by flashes of lightning and thunder.
Cabbage evaded a third fireball, only to be assailed by several Wind Blades from another direction.
Dark clouds gathered directly overhead, unleashing a barrage of lightning bolts.
Cabbage raised a stone slab with one hand to block the Wind Blades, sprinting to evade the relentless lightning strikes.
It quickly found temporary cover nearby, finally catching its breath.
Damn… Human Ability Users.
They must have realized Cabbage excelled in close combat, deliberately surrounding it at a distance and relying solely on ranged attacks to wear it down.
Before long, over a dozen fireballs rained down, shattering the ruins Cabbage had taken refuge in.
Forced to abandon its shelter, Cabbage surveyed the perimeter, assessing which side had the fewest opponents for a potential breakthrough.
In a short time, the dark clouds in the sky gathered thicker, flashing ominously as they threatened to burst.
Suddenly, a massive wave of orange “carrot rain” flew in from one side of the sky, crashing directly into the dark clouds.
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