Chapter 35
Black Spine Mountain Base, Restricted Zone.
Yuan Ji stood amidst the mountain forest, surveying the chaotic scene.
The man-eating flower had escaped in full view, and the tracking team had returned empty-handed.
Of the thirty-plus personnel who had entered the Restricted Zone from Sky Base, only Wen Jue and his four bodyguards remained. Zhao Xing’s entire squad had been wiped out.
The giant nut, previously dormant halfway up the mountain, had also vanished, likely awakened and taken away by other mutant plants.
After receiving the news, Yuan Ji had immediately led a team to investigate.
Even though they had known about the mutant plants in the Back Mountain and had already clashed with Sky Base personnel, the scale of the disaster still shocked them.
They had assumed Sky Base would suffer some injuries and setbacks, but never imagined an entire squad would be annihilated.
Wen Jue and his four bodyguards had lagged behind and managed to escape in time; otherwise, they might have shared the same fate as the squad.
Yuan Ji, his face grim, ordered his subordinates to scour the area for any useful information.
The remaining half of the Sky Base team, previously stationed outside, joined the search, helping to remove the corpses.
Ignoring his injuries, Wen Jue insisted on returning to the Back Mountain with the team, settling into the chair specially prepared for him.
He glanced at Zhao Xing’s blood-stained face before calmly averting his gaze and closing his eyes to rest.
With Zhao Xing’s death, another subordinate took charge of the operation.
He approached Yuan Ji, his eyes icy. “Someone saw Leader Nan here, and he appeared to be with a mutant plant. We demand an explanation.”
“An explanation? What kind of explanation do you want?” Yuan Ji leaned against a tree trunk. “Does this look like the aftermath of our Leader using his supernatural ability?”
The subordinate frowned, momentarily speechless.
A preliminary search of the area revealed combat traces dominated by ranged attacks. These traces included not only those of mutant plants but also likely those of Zhao Xing’s squad.
Nan Tingjin’s supernatural ability was unique, making it difficult to discern anything from the evidence alone.
“If that’s the case, Leader Nan is perfectly capable of concealing his movements,” the subordinate pressed. “Regardless, Mr. Wen insists on meeting with your Leader.”
A thirty-person squad had perished in the Restricted Zone’s Back Mountain. Such a significant incident meant the Black Spine Mountain Base couldn’t remain uninvolved.
Yuan Ji sighed. “To be honest, I’d like to know where our Leader is myself.” His expression turned grave, and his tone grew serious. “I strongly suspect the plants abducted him.”
The subordinate sneered. “Abducted again? Leader Nan certainly has a knack for attracting mutant plants.”
Yuan Ji didn’t back down. “Whether it’s attraction or not, you arrived at a convenient time. Oh, right, you have a Search Warrant. What exactly are you looking for?”
After a moment of silence, the subordinate turned to Qian Hui. “What about the Heterochromatic Youth who was with Leader Nan? Was he also abducted?”
At the time, Wen Jue had been standing some distance from his bodyguard, while Qian Hui stood in the shadow of a tree. His heterochromatic eyes appeared darker, almost matching the rusty color of his hair.
Though Wen Jue sensed Qian Hui was no ordinary person, he hadn’t connected it to the traits of a zombie.
Like Nan Tingjin, Wen Jue could see nothing related to Qian Hui.
No future to glimpse, no past to piece together.
The mutant plants around Qian Hui seemed shielded by some invisible barrier, rendering them invisible as well. Wen Jue couldn’t track where the man-eating flower had fled.
“The Heterochromatic Youth?” Yuan Ji quickly processed the information. “He hasn’t officially joined the Base yet, so I don’t know much about him.”
“Alright,” the subordinate replied, realizing he wouldn’t get any useful information. He forced a polite expression. “If you learn anything about Leader Nan’s whereabouts or the movements of those mutant plants, please inform us immediately.”
“That’s exactly what I wanted to say,” Yuan Ji smiled. “Feel free to contact me if you need anything else.”
The subordinate nodded and left. Yuan Ji’s smile vanished.
He snorted coldly and resumed surveying the surroundings.
He genuinely didn’t know what had happened here or whether Nan Tingjin was involved.
But when dealing with Sky Base, he would naturally prioritize protecting his own people.
In hindsight, their earlier decision to ignore the situation had been wise.
If their personnel had arrived earlier, they likely would have been attacked by the mutant plants as well.
Overall, apart from Nan Tingjin’s disappearance and the need to investigate the mutant plants’ infiltration, Black Spine Mountain Base hadn’t suffered significant losses.
They had opened the gates to Sky Base, allowed them to search freely, and even granted access to the Restricted Zone.
No one could have foreseen the subsequent events.
Yuan Ji pondered for a moment, then retrieved his communicator and sent another message to Nan Tingjin.
He had already sent several messages earlier, but none had received a response.
This message, like the others, received no response.
Yuan Ji wasn’t bothered. He stowed his communicator and urged his subordinates to move faster.
Xiaozhi, the man-eating flower, continued its relentless journey, growing ever farther from Black Spine Mountain Base and the Safe Zone.
Retracing its path, it carefully selected secluded ruins, slowing its pace only after confirming their safety. Occasionally, it paused to sniff the air, searching for nearby wooded areas.
Luobo, the carrot, peeked out through the gaps between Xiaozhi’s teeth, taking a few glances at the outside world.
Qian Hui was still asleep, his breathing and temperature much more normal than before. He rested securely in Nan Tingjin’s arms.
Xiaokui, the sunflower, stood at the center, its petals emitting a gentle, radiant glow that illuminated the surroundings.
Zhusun, the little bamboo shoot, guarded nearby, clutching several medicinal pills Qian Hui had purchased in advance. It fed one to Xiaokui.
Beside Zhusun stood a tiny pink succulent.
The Pink Succulent was miniature, barely taller than an adult’s finger. Its limbs were slender branches, and its sesame-seed-sized eyes were positioned near its “root,” almost invisible without close inspection.
The succulent petals atop its head accounted for half its height, yet there were only three, small, plump, and clustered together in a tender shade of pink.
Little Succulent, timid and reserved, crouched in place, too afraid to move.
Zhusun had discovered it, likely a low-level mutant plant brought along by the people from Sky Base for some unknown purpose.
At the time, Qian Hui was unwell and hadn’t noticed the unfamiliar plant nearby. Zhusun asked Luobo, who agreed to temporarily take Little Succulent in.
Later, Qian Hui remained asleep. Xiao Baocai and Pigguo took turns comforting Little Succulent before getting busy tending to the other plants.
Ruanteng retrieved the stored food from the backpack and divided it up. Xiao Baocai and Pigguo then delivered portions to each plant that had participated in the battle.
Tudou quietly crept over and swiped half a bag of sugar from the backpack.
Yumi, exhausted but exhilarated from unleashing his first energy-charged attack, dragged Facaishu beside it, gesturing wildly as it recounted the battle.
Before it could finish, it collapsed, closed its eyes, and fell asleep instantly.
Lulian was also exhausted, resting close to Luobo.
Lajiao lay sprawled comfortably in a corner, limbs outstretched.
Xiao Guo nestled in Qian Hui’s arms, and Xiao Baocai offered it some food.
Xiao Guo stared at the two biscuits in Xiao Baocai’s hand but didn’t move.
Apart from the three Special-Grade Mutant Plants, Xiao Guo wasn’t familiar with any other plants and seemed reluctant to approach them.
Xiao Baocai, seeing Xiao Guo’s refusal, scratched his head and took the biscuit to Luobo, hoping the carrot could deliver it.
But when Luobo brought the biscuit over, Xiao Guo still refused. He remained curled up in Qian Hui’s clothes, silently watching with his large eyes.
Luobo, accustomed to this behavior, simply ate the biscuit himself, crunching it down in a few bites.
Back in the Plant Courtyard, Xiao Guo had always been like this—not exactly timid, but certainly reserved.
After finishing the biscuit, Luobo patted Xiao Baocai’s head and led him away.
Xiao Guo continued to watch quietly, then turned his back and went back to sleep.
It wasn’t until Xiaozhi reached an unfamiliar forest and prepared to rest there that Qian Hui finally woke up.
Nan Tingjin carried him out, and Qian Hui gazed dazedly at the unfamiliar trees, his mind still hazy.
A small stream flowed nearby. Luobo soaked a towel in the water, then asked Lajiao to warm it before using it to wipe Qian Hui’s face.
After being refreshed, Qian Hui seemed to fully regain his senses and stared blankly at Nan Tingjin.
Nan Tingjin sat beneath the tree, holding Qian Hui’s hand. “Feeling better?”
Qian Hui, still leaning against his chest, nodded slowly.
He had only just woken up, and the Nan Tingjin before him was almost identical to the one in his dream, making it hard to distinguish reality from fantasy.
Unable to resist, Qian Hui reached out and gently touched Nan Tingjin’s face with his fingertips.
The moment he did, he realized Nan Tingjin’s temperature was abnormally high.
No wonder he had felt so warm when Nan Tingjin carried him earlier.
Remembering Nan Tingjin’s brief discomfort on Back Mountain, Qian Hui snapped to attention. “Are you injured?” he asked anxiously.
Nan Tingjin lowered Qian Hui’s hand, pausing before replying, “No.”
He wasn’t injured, but Zhao Xing must have used something.
In that instant, a splitting headache erupted in Nan Tingjin’s head, forcing him to abort the supernatural ability he was about to unleash.
Now that they had left the Restricted Zone and entered this forest, the lingering effects still hadn’t completely dissipated.
Outwardly, he showed no signs of distress, and his supernatural ability had returned to normal.
Qian Hui touched Nan Tingjin’s cheek and forehead again, then bought three Panaceas from the game and fed them to him.
Soon, the other plants gathered around.
Qian Hui checked each of their conditions, feeding them newly purchased food and pills.
This battle against a significant number of Human Ability Users had taken a greater toll on the Plant Squad than their previous encounter.
Several plants had used their charged attacks, but Yumi’s performance thrilled Qian Hui the most.
He picked up Yumi and praised him enthusiastically, “You’re an especially powerful corn now!”
Yumi was ecstatic, eager to demonstrate his Yumi’s Big Jelly again immediately.
Tudou watched enviously, wanting to learn the move too.
After chewing up the candy in its mouth, Tudou scurried to retrieve the small backpack Qian Hui had prepared for them earlier.
Inside Tudou’s backpack were a few remaining crystal cores. It pulled them out and devoured them all in one gulp.
Xiao Guo had successfully awakened and joined the Plant Squad. Qian Hui introduced him to the others.
“Xiao Guo is an old friend of mine,” he said, cradling the shrunken nut. “It’s incredibly strong too.”
Qian Hui took a moment to glance at Xiao Guo’s Handbook entry. Its supernatural ability allowed it to freely alter its size, and its shell had three layers of distinct defensive mechanisms. Despite its massive form, it retained remarkable agility. When unleashing its Berserk Skill, it could replicate itself into ten copies that persisted for twenty minutes.
With its exceptional defense and proactive attack capabilities, Xiao Guo could roll over and crush even the thickest walls in its giant form.
This very trait had thwarted the Zombie Horde’s siege of Black Spine Mountain.
Xiao Guo stood quietly, looking a bit dazed and not offering any greeting.
Xiao Baocai suddenly squeezed in, offering Qian Hui a biscuit and secretly gesturing for him to feed it to Xiao Guo.
Qian Hui held out the biscuit. Xiao Guo leaned in to sniff it, then lowered its head and ate.
Seeing this, Xiao Baocai beamed and ran off to fetch another biscuit.
The surroundings were pleasant, with no wandering zombies in sight and a nearby water source.
The other plants were resting or playing on their own. After feeding Xiao Guo the biscuit, Qian Hui placed it on the grass and encouraged it to join the others.
Just then, Zhusun led Little Succulent over, and Qian Hui realized there was a new member of the Plant Squad.
“Huh?” Qian Hui picked up Little Succulent, examining it curiously. “Did those people bring you with them?”
Little Succulent stood obediently, seemingly fond of Qian Hui, and boldly rubbed against his finger.
The Handbook indicated that a bond had been formed with this low-level mutant plant. It likely believed that Qian Hui and the other plants had saved it, and its loyalty had already reached 50%.
[ Species: Pink Succulent ]
[ Level: Low (Docile and Adorable) ]
[ Status: Good ]
[ Loyalty: 50% ]
[ Basic Skill: Aura Concealment (Self-Targeted) (Duration: 50 seconds) ]
[ Advanced Skill: Aura Concealment (All Creatures within a 2-meter Radius) (Duration: 50 seconds) ]
[ Berserk Skill: Unknown ]
[ Readiness Details: Unlocks at 80% Loyalty ]
Qian Hui was stunned by the skill descriptions.
This… this is essentially a partial effect of the Disguise Potion! Within a limited range and duration, it can conceal the auras of nearby mutant plants, making them undetectable by instruments.
No wonder Sky Base had managed to bring it safely into Black Spine Mountain. Even if they captured other mutant plants, they could still use Little Succulent to smuggle them out discreetly. Despite its low level, it was incredibly useful.
Qian Hui gently touched the petals on Little Succulent’s head and asked, “Would you like to come with us?”
Little Succulent hummed softly, clinging to Qian Hui’s finger to show its willingness.
Nearby, Xiaozhi silently observed the scene.
Another new plant had joined them, and it was pink.
The little mushroom had also been pink… If it were still here, it would have adored Little Succulent.
After watching for a while, Xiaozhi turned away and settled down to sleep.
Xiao Guo, the nut, was also watching. Sensing Qian Hui was busy, it hopped to the stream’s edge alone, leaned over, and took a few long gulps of water.
Tudou, the potato, curiously approached and lay down beside Xiao Guo to observe it.
The two plants were roughly the same size and color, making them look quite similar at first glance.
Tudou quietly moved closer, sniffing Xiao Guo’s scent.
After Xiao Guo had shrunk, little of its original Special-Grade Mutant Plant aura remained. Instead, it carried a fragrant nutty aroma.
Tudou continued to sniff, unable to resist inching closer until it was pressed against Xiao Guo.
Xiao Guo slowly turned, glancing sideways at Tudou.
The two plants stared at each other for a moment, Tudou nearly leaning in to lick Xiao Guo’s face.
Xiao Guo suddenly jerked, pushing Tudou away slightly. It then spun rapidly several times before settling motionless on the bank.
Tudou leaned in closer again, only to discover that Xiao Guo’s eyes and mouth had vanished, as if they had retreated into his shell.
But now, he looked even more like a fragrant, giant nut…
Tudou circled Xiao Guo, glancing furtively around, plotting to carry him away.
He wrapped his slender arms around the nut, but found he couldn’t lift it.
Puzzled, Tudou stepped back and surveyed the area again, finding no visible obstructions.
He tried again, straining with all his might, but Xiao Guo remained stubbornly motionless.
Soon, Yumi noticed the commotion and joined the fray.
The two mutant plants exhausted every method—pushing directly, trying to lift from underneath—all ending in failure.
Tudou even borrowed Zhusun’s knife, but couldn’t pry the nut loose. Finally, he brought Ruanteng over, tying one end of the vine to Xiao Guo and having the plants grip the other end to pull with all their strength.
Yumi, Tudou, Zhusun, and later Lajiao and Lulian, lined up in a row, clutching the vine.
They tugged for several minutes, but Xiao Guo remained stubbornly unmoving.
Just as it was about to give up, Xiao Guo suddenly lay down, causing the plants at the other end of the branch to tumble into the grass.
It quickly stood up, shook off the Ruanteng vines, and returned to its original form.
Xiao Guo glanced at the fallen plants and hopped away.
Meanwhile, Qian Hui opened the game to check his current status.
With the addition of Xiao Guo and Lulian, Yumi had successfully unlocked the Berserk Skill, causing the squad’s combat power to skyrocket to 16,000.
[ Faction Points: 3,500
Prestige Points: 1,540
Balance: Approximately 130,000 ]
The 3,500 Faction Points could be exchanged for 70,000 in-game currency, bringing his total to 200,000.
He still needed another 100,000…
Unfortunately, the battle against the Human Ability Users had only rewarded Prestige Points, unlike the previous zombie encounter, which had yielded a substantial amount of currency.
As his Prestige Points surpassed 1,000, a small line of text appeared beneath the total:
[ Reach 3,000 Prestige Points to establish a Faction Base! A new Prestige Points Shop will also be unlocked~ ]
A Faction Base… Could plants even have a base?
Qian Hui, still somewhat dazed, randomly tapped around, unable to find the Prestige Points Shop.
The game’s regular shop did sell some basic construction materials like bricks and cement, but nothing special.
As Qian Hui scrolled through the options, Xiaokui suddenly appeared beside him, gently touching his hand with a leaf.
Qian Hui looked up. “Xiaokui?”
Mimosa was also there, a tiny patch clinging to Xiaokui’s petals.
It wiggled free, leaped into Qian Hui’s palm, grew slightly larger, and nuzzled his fingertips.
Through Xiaokui’s radiant glow, Qian Hui sensed Mimosa’s distress.
It was terrified, helpless, and had finally mustered the courage to ask for his help.
“So many plants… they’re being imprisoned?”
After understanding what the Mimosa wanted to convey, Qian Hui frowned, both angry and worried.
He should have realized this sooner… the little mushroom, Xiaozhi the man-eating flower, Lajiao the chili pepper, Mimosa, and even Lulian the durian.
Those despicable humans must have done this to countless other plants.
Mimosa’s leaves trembled slightly, its anxiety palpable.
The thought had been buried deep within Mimosa’s heart for a long time.
Ever since witnessing Qian Hui rescue Xiaokui and keep Pigguo by his side, Mimosa found out he had a way to save Lulian as well.
Not long ago, the Plant Squad had unexpectedly encountered a group of Human Ability Users from Sky Base.
During the entire confrontation, Mimosa had trembled inside Qian Hui’s sleeve.
The familiar scents were overwhelming. It was certain that several of the humans had seen it before, perhaps even used it as a “hunting dog.”
If it were discovered, if it were captured again…
But the plants were strong. They successfully eliminated the human squad, leaving only a few survivors who managed to escape.
Unable to bear it any longer, Mimosa quietly confided in Xiaokui.
Upon learning of this, Xiaokui immediately sought out Qian Hui.
Qian Hui gently stroked Mimosa’s leaves, his heart aching with sympathy. “We’ll go rescue them,” he promised.
His agreement was so swift that Mimosa was momentarily stunned.
So it really is possible… to save my friends.
It raised its leaves, indicating a direction.
Even from a distance, Mimosa could guide them with unerring accuracy.
The other plants, unaware of what Qian Hui was saying, gradually gathered around. After learning the cause of the commotion from Xiaokui, they were equally shocked and enraged.
Yumi brandished its fist, declaring they should rescue the captured plants immediately and teach those humans a lesson!
Lajiao, however, wasn’t surprised. Due to its unique abilities, it had been kept in solitary confinement and had heard rumors of other plants being captured.
Luobo picked up a branch from the ground and snapped it in half with a furious “Ugh…”
Let’s go! Of course, we’re going!
Lulian beside it also snapped a branch, scratched its back, and growled fiercely, “Ugh ugh!”
Seeing the plants’ reaction, Mimosa was moved and delighted, clinging tightly to Qian Hui’s fingertip.
However, it was already late. Nightfall was only two hours away, and the plants hadn’t fully recovered their energy.
Luobo made the decision: they would rest in the forest for the night and set out at dawn.
Mimosa would lead the way. Once they reached their destination, they would devise a detailed battle plan.
The group of plants huddled together, brainstorming strategies: whether to sneak in or attack directly, and how to escape afterward.
Xiao Guo lingered nearby for a while before finally squeezing into the group to listen.
Meanwhile, Qian Hui approached Nan Tingjin.
“Xiao Jin,” Qian Hui asked, “will you come with us?”
In truth, he had brought Nan Tingjin out of the Base, leaving him no other choice. He couldn’t just abandon him halfway.
Nan Tingjin didn’t refuse. “Alright,” he agreed.
He reached out, and after a moment’s hesitation, Qian Hui nestled into his arms.
Having taken the Panacea, Nan Tingjin’s temperature gradually returned to normal. Qian Hui tilted his head back, resting his chin against Nan Tingjin’s chest. “Are you feeling better?”
“Mm,” Nan Tingjin replied. “Don’t worry.”
Qian Hui studied him for a while, then hesitated, wanting to say something but holding back.
Night soon fell. The plants finished their dinner and settled down early.
As usual, the man-eating flower and the carrot took turns keeping watch. Xiao Guo had only recently awakened and could rest for a few more days.
Behind Luobo stood Lulian the durian, desperately wanting to join the night watch despite being half-asleep. Luobo couldn’t chase it away, so it reluctantly let the durian stay.
In the dead of night, the pitch-black forest fell silent. Lulian yawned, nudged closer to Luobo, and fidgeted as it asked when it would turn back into a durian.
Luobo’s expression was indescribable. “…Ugh.”
We’ll see, it thought. I’ll transform when necessary.
Lulian nodded as if it understood, though it clearly didn’t.
When Xiaozhi and Luobo switched shifts, they returned to the cabbage shell to sleep.
Nan Tingjin remained outside, while the other plants lay scattered haphazardly inside the cabbage shell, two of them even squeezing into Qian Hui’s arms.
Only Mimosa hadn’t fallen asleep, its leaves twitching slightly.
Excited and unable to rest, it silently repeated the names of all its plant friends it wanted to rescue, fearing it might forget someone.
Meanwhile, far away…
Several lights still burned in a base marked with a white cloud symbol—a small branch of Sky Base used to detain mutant plants.
As the night deepened, the guard at the gate suddenly received an alarm.
He immediately checked the monitors and discovered an energy reading from an instrument on the perimeter wall.
The energy was unstable, spiking sharply before dropping again, suggesting a high-level zombie or mutant plant might be approaching.
But it was night; zombies were unlikely.
The guard contacted the patrol squad and ordered them to investigate.
Minutes later, the patrol squad reported back: they found nothing. A mutant plant might have passed near the base, approached, and then fled.
The instrument’s needle stopped moving, confirming the area was secure. The squad resumed their patrol in another direction.
After they left, a cabbage leaf quietly peeked out from behind a low wall in the distant ruins, observing in the shadows.
Inside the forest, before dawn had broken, Qian Hui woke up.
He had another dream, similar to the previous one, but clearer this time.
The plants around him were still asleep. Qian Hui slowly sat up, carefully placing the nuts and peppers he had been holding to the side.
He quietly opened the cabbage shell and crawled out.
Nan Tingjin was sitting under a nearby tree. Hearing the footsteps, he opened his eyes.
As Nan Tingjin began to sit up, Qian Hui groped his way into his arms, wrapping his arms around his waist and holding on tight.
Nan Tingjin stroked his hair. “Awake so early?”
Qian Hui mumbled in response, “I had a dream… about you…”
Nan Tingjin kissed his cheek. “What kind of dream?”
“I… I dreamed,” Qian Hui said softly, his expression confused and bewildered, “that you weren’t my boyfriend.”
Nan Tingjin fell silent for a moment, his breath catching slightly. “What?”
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