Chapter 9
Nan Tingjin walked forward, entering a low-rise building just as his presence began to fade.
The structure stood half-collapsed, its debris-strewn floor bearing traces of recent disturbance.
He halted before a wardrobe. “Come out.”
Silence enveloped them. After a prolonged moment, the cabinet door creaked open a sliver.
The gap widened, revealing Qian Hui’s pale face framed by shadows.
His eyes darted nervously behind Nan Tingjin, confirming the absence of other humans before inching the door further.
Qian Hui crouched in the wardrobe, his voice trembling. “Are you… are you going to kill me?”
He’d been mere inches from being crushed by falling rubble—Ruanteng’s intervention had been his only salvation.
As for the brick embedded in the pillar, Nan Tingjin guessed it had been his own handiwork.
Qian Hui had fled here immediately, too terrified to move further. Yet Nan Tingjin had still found him…
Nan Tingjin stepped closer and crouched down, his gaze sweeping over Qian Hui’s body.
No injuries. Just shock, then.
He answered obliquely, “North leads to the low-risk zone.”
Occasionally, ordinary humans and ability users would pass through the safety zone. Qian Hui’s striking appearance made it best for him to stay in the low-risk zone.
Though the low-risk zone was short on supplies, it contained virtually no mid-level or higher zombies or mutated plants.
Before meeting up with his four-person squad, Nan Tingjin had tried to shake off Qian Hui, but the boy had followed him anyway.
He should have killed Qian Hui when the boy first approached him, to avoid further complications.
But he hadn’t. Even Nan Tingjin himself might not have been able to explain why.
Since he didn’t want to kill him, he’d have to keep him for now. No matter where Qian Hui came from, no one could touch him.
Qian Hui caught the meaning in Nan Tingjin’s words. He pressed his lips together and quietly shrank back, closing the cabinet door part way.
He turned his head away, pretending not to hear.
Nan Tingjin stared at Qian Hui’s profile for a moment before standing up.
“This isn’t a place for you to be,” he said, glancing at Ruanteng wrapped around Qian Hui’s arm. “There are man-eating flowers nearby.”
Since Qian Hui could control plants, even if he didn’t know the man-eating flower’s name, other mutated plants would sense its presence and fear it.
This Grade A mutated plant had always been a terrifying existence, feared by all species, including zombies.
Recently, the Sky Base had done something to make the man-eating flower agitated for a long time. After suffering its first injury, it was wounded a second time by a team of ability users and a zombie horde, forcing it to hide.
Coincidentally, another mutated plant they had captured escaped, and with no spare manpower available, they issued a bounty that was taken up by the Black Spine Mountain Base.
Even injured, the man-eating flower remained far beyond comparison with ordinary mutated plants.
“Man-eating flower?” Qian Hui froze, then abruptly pushed open the cabinet door.
But Nan Tingjin had already left. When Qian Hui emerged, he only saw the man’s retreating figure.
Playing it safe, he chose not to chase after him, fearing other humans might discover him.
Qian Hui hesitated on the spot before retreating back into hiding.
His earlier eavesdropping hadn’t been wrong—Nan Tingjin and his companions were indeed searching for the man-eating flower.
That made it even more crucial for him not to leave.
Over the next few days, Qian Hui kept thinking about the man-eating flower’s departure.
With so many wounds from zombie bites, he wondered if it had managed to heal.
When Qian Hui first regained consciousness, he might not have known what to do. But now that he’d basically figured out how to play the game, he could buy medicine for it.
Qian Hui, feeling worried, decided to stay away from the human team. That way, he could quickly go check out any suspicious activity.
Lajiao tugged on Qian Hui’s sleeve, its eyes asking, “Woo?”
That human didn’t seem to be lying. The man-eating flower was really nearby. Was Qian Hui not going to leave?
It was still quite nervous… That was a man-eating flower, a super-grade mutated plant. With a single swing of its leaf, plants like them would only have a chance to flee for their lives.
Qian Hui looked down, seeing the fear in Lajiao’s eyes.
“It’s okay, I’m not leaving,” he shook his head. “The man-eating flower… is my friend.”
As long as the man-eating flower hadn’t forgotten him like Nan Tingjin had.
Lajiao stared blankly, its expression turning subtle.
The leader of the Black Spine Mountain Base is your boyfriend, and a super-grade mutated plant like the man-eating flower is your friend… You’ve got quite the connections.
Lajiao then recalled Nan Tingjin’s attitude toward Qian Hui these past few days, falling into deep thought.
Could it be true?
Unaware of Lajiao’s thoughts, Qian Hui soothed Ruanteng and pulled out food from his pocket to feed them.
Xiao Baocai remained unconscious, but its condition didn’t seem immediately concerning.
A game notification coincidentally arrived. Qian Hui opened the field guide to find the Ruanteng’s loyalty had reached 80%.
Lajiao’s loyalty, on the other hand, had barely increased from 5% to 10%.
Perhaps because both the Ruanteng and Xiao Baocai were low-level plants, survival was already challenging. Encountering someone like Qian Hui who fed them three times a day was already quite rare.
Meanwhile, mid-level mutated plants were more cautious and guarded, requiring special “strategies” to approach.
Yesterday, after the game announced the end of the beginner period, a new strategy section appeared in the field guide, requiring hidden information triggers to access.
As for special-grade mutated plants… simply encountering them was considered fortunate, with everything else left to fate.
However, with both plants’ loyalty reaching 80%, Qian Hui could now view their combat readiness information.
After confirming the area was safe, Qian Hui hid in the cabinet and carefully studied the details:
[Species: Mini Cabbage – Xiao Baocai
Combat Readiness Details: None (Area/Start Time/Mission Command/End Time) ]
[Species: Soft Vine – Ruanteng
Combat Readiness Details: None (Area/Start Time/Mission Command/End Time) ]
[Gameplay Description: Place your plants in designated areas and assign tasks or time limits. Even when you’re not present, your plants can move and act independently.
Example 1: “Soft Vine” on standby, area (user-defined), start immediately, kill three level 1 zombies, no time limit.
Example 2: “Mini Cabbage” on standby, area (user-defined), activate in 1 hour, patrol and alert host if any creature approaches, end in 9 hours.]
Below it was written that when a plant’s loyalty reaches 80%, it establishes a strong connection with its host and the game system, allowing communication through methods similar to remote waves or human transmitters.
Even when the plants were away from Qian Hui or during his nighttime rest, he could use the standby system to issue commands, making the plants assist him in various tasks. Successfully killing zombies would automatically increase his balance.
After each standby session, it was best to reward the plants. Otherwise, their unhappiness might cause their loyalty to decrease, and in severe cases, they might even leave home.
Qian Hui carefully read through everything, then lowered his head to stroke Ruanteng’s leaves.
It seems… I don’t need this yet.
He closed the game and leaned against the wooden board to rest quietly.
Outside, the four-person team had completed their setup and produced a zombie head.
One of them had captured a mid-level zombie the previous night, preserved it with frost ability, and now thawed it out. They bound its hands and tossed it nearby.
With the head hanging from its neck, the zombie could only move within a small area. It sniffed the air for food but couldn’t see anyone, occasionally letting out angry roars.
The team kept their distance, hiding in the shadows as they waited for the man-eating flower to appear.
During this time, a young member of the team whispered, “Do you think this will work?”
“It should,” a companion replied. “The man-eating flower has a bad temper. It must still be mad at the high-level zombie that hurt it.”
Zombies’ cries usually don’t sound very different. The team used instruments to detect energy, while the mutated plants recognized scents.
The high-level zombie hadn’t been dead for long. With its head hanging from the mid-level zombie’s neck, combined with the man-eating flower’s own scent, there was about a 70-80% chance it would believe the ruse.
Qian Hui also heard the zombie’s movements and quietly came out to investigate.
He didn’t see the human team or Nan Tingjin’s position, only circling around the area.
By one o’clock in the afternoon, the scorching sun enveloped the ruins.
Qian Hui wasn’t afraid of the heat. Without even breaking a sweat, he stood guard before the low building.
The distant zombie’s cries attracted some low-level zombies. After drawing them away, Qian Hui eliminated them.
The human squad had vanished without a trace. Qian Hui suspected they might have left.
Yet the zombies’ cries persisted from a single direction, which struck him as unusual. He resolved to wait patiently.
Meanwhile, the squad members were also anxiously waiting.
*Could it be failing?* The man-eating flower had detected their presence yesterday and arrived nearby, its energy signature confirmed.
Now, as they approached the same location, the energy signature remained undiminished—the flower hadn’t departed.
Nan Tingjin sat with the squad at a slightly removed distance, remaining silent.
Since he hadn’t declared the plan canceled, they continued to wait.
Among them was someone with some knowledge of mutated plants, particularly the species most frequently encountered in recent years.
After a moment’s consideration, he said, “Perhaps it’s confirming whether the zombies are also searching for it.”
An accidental encounter could be tolerated, but if provoked by an active approach, they couldn’t swallow their pride.
It was peculiar how the emergence of mutated plants had initially shocked everyone.
While a zombie bite meant certain death for animals, harmless plants had instead gained life and cognition.
In the apocalypse, humans and zombies stood in opposition. If mutated plants aided either side, the balance would be broken, leading to the swift demise of the other faction.
Yet the mutated plants despised both humans and zombies, resulting in the current three-way conflict where all sides attacked each other.
Regardless of the circumstances, the man-eating flower should make some move. All they needed was for it to reveal its exact whereabouts.
The squad continued waiting patiently. Before they knew it, night had fallen.
Qian Hui finished dinner and retreated to the wardrobe with his three plants.
Zombies hibernate at night, and the distant noises gradually fade away.
The shadow of the day’s attack still lingered. Qian Hui resolved to assess the situation in the morning before deciding on a course of action.
He closed the wardrobe door and curled up to sleep.
Later that night, the zombies’ howls erupted again.
Qian Hui jolted awake, his eyes flying open.
Amidst the ruins, a mid-level zombie was forced awake from its dormant state, struggling against the restraints binding its hands.
The scent of something stronger and more potent reached it, and the sense of danger made it instinctively search for new cover.
In the distance, the squad members perked up.
“It’s coming.”
Under the night sky, a massive black shadow blocked out the moonlight.
The man-eating flower’s injuries hadn’t fully healed yet, so its body was smaller than when it last appeared, but it still stood as tall as three stories.
Its thick flower stem crushed through the ruins as it moved forward, quickly reaching the mid-level zombie and biting down.
The zombie couldn’t dodge, and one arm and half of its body were torn off. The head hanging around its neck also fell down.
The man-eating flower spat out the remains in its mouth and tilted its head slightly.
The zombie had died too easily, making it suspicious.
Then it looked down and saw a zombie head that had been dead for a long time rolled to its feet.
The man-eating flower’s flower stem swung out, angrily smashing the head away.
Realizing it had been tricked, it turned to find the person responsible.
At that moment, the four squad members moved simultaneously, surrounding the man-eating flower from all directions.
Not far away, Nan Tingjin stood atop the ruins, observing the man-eating flower that had finally revealed itself.
He held back from attacking immediately. The four-member team’s abilities were remarkably high. A thick layer of ice rapidly solidified, trapping the man-eating flower within.
The flower attempted to break through or scale the ice wall, but any leaf that touched it would freeze instantly, immobilized in place.
Another team member’s ability summoned thunderclouds, gathering dark masses above the battlefield with a wave of their hand.
The remaining two members, both physical ability users, could temporarily enhance specific body parts. Even this limited enhancement proved sufficient to unleash astonishing force.
Meanwhile, Qian Hui rushed toward the man-eating flower.
He noticed the flower’s reduced size and the human team’s encirclement.
Muffled thunder rumbled as twin lightning bolts struck the man-eating flower. The impact shattered the ice wall, and the flower retaliated by whipping its stem, crushing the frozen barrier.
Compared to the zombie horde led by two high-level undead, this human team clearly posed greater danger. Moreover, the flower now bore injuries.
Qian Hui’s anxiety surged as he considered joining the fight.
Lajiao desperately tried to stop him, tugging at his sleeve in vain. The small creature turned to Ruanteng and emitted urgent whines.
Are you trying to watch him die?!
Neither the man-eating flower nor the ability user on the other side were opponents these vines could handle. Even approaching them risked accidental injury.
Ruanteng hesitated briefly before coiling around Qian Hui’s torso and arms, binding him tightly to a toppled streetlight.
Qian Hui struggled desperately. “Let me go…”
The vine’s grip wasn’t overly forceful, avoiding pain, yet it prevented any forward movement.
Lajiao half-emerged, its expression grave. “Woo!”
Trapped but aware of his limitations, Qian Hui forced himself to calm down.
There must be a way. I… I need to help. He opened the game and frantically scanned the shop.
The construction and weapons section offered numerous items. With his current balance, Qian Hui could barely afford one.
But the names—”Three-Barrel Machine Gun,” “Missile Head,” “Spray Machine”—were completely unfamiliar.
He couldn’t see usage instructions before purchase. As he stood bewildered, distant lightning repeatedly struck the man-eating flower, eliciting agonized roars.
The man-eating flower tried to scale the ice wall, pressing one side of its stem against the frozen surface despite the intense pain.
The squad wouldn’t let it escape. The short one stood guard outside, picking up a tall stone pillar and smashing it down.
Lightning dispersed the night, and Qian Hui witnessed this scene.
“No…” He was on the verge of tears, his slender shoulders trembling. He resolved to simply choose the cheapest option he could afford.
At that moment, Lajiao grabbed Qian Hui’s wrist.
“Woo…” Its gaze was resolute, as if making a decision. It turned to look at the man-eating flower, then pointed at itself.
Then, Lajiao crawled out of the pocket and stood before Qian Hui.
Qian Hui stared at it blankly. “You…”
Lajiao nodded.
Yes, its legs had healed two days ago. It had been hiding this from Qian Hui and the other two plants all along.
Judging by Qian Hui’s reaction, he likely did recognize that man-eating flower.
If he insisted on saving it, perhaps Lajiao could help.
This could be repayment for the protection and care Qian Hui had shown over these past days. A final act of help before leaving… It wasn’t because seeing him so heartbroken.
“Woo,” Lajiao instructed Ruanteng to guard Qian Hui, then leaped onto the ruins and rushed toward the man-eating flower.
Watching Lajiao’s retreating figure, Qian Hui instantly understood the implication: “Don’t…”
He felt anxious, fearing Lajiao might get hurt alone.
Qian Hui struggled again, but Ruanteng didn’t release him, choosing to obey Lajiao’s command.
Even if he used the combat system to issue orders, it would require the plant’s cooperation. With no other options, Qian Hui promised Ruanteng, “I won’t get too close. I just need to take a look.”
Ruanteng’s loyalty was too strong, and its attitude had softened slightly.
Combined with its own concern for Lajiao, it released Qian Hui and climbed onto his shoulder as usual, assisting him in his pursuit.
Meanwhile, Lajiao’s small figure drew near.
The four-person team was busy dealing with the man-eating flower, unable to watch their rear. However, the plant couldn’t hide from Nan Tingjin’s eyes.
Nan Tingjin recognized it as the plant from Qian Hui’s side. Turning back, he indeed saw Qian Hui also approaching.
Qian Hui hadn’t listened to him. Not only had he not left, but he dared to approach on his own.
Nan Tingjin frowned and glanced toward the team’s direction.
Given the current situation, he didn’t need to intervene—the man-eating flower would be captured alive anyway.
Amidst the ruins, Qian Hui hurried forward, but Ruanteng suddenly stopped.
He looked up and saw Nan Tingjin standing before him.
The fact that Nan Tingjin wasn’t with the squad attacking the man-eating flower gave Qian Hui a glimmer of hope.
He hurried forward and grabbed Nan Tingjin’s hand. “You know those people… Can you make them stop?”
Nan Tingjin glanced down at him without moving. “Why?”
“That man-eating flower… it’s my friend,” Qian Hui stammered, words tumbling out. “Don’t… don’t hurt it.”
He remembered the fate of the flower from his previous vision and would do anything to prevent it from happening again.
“Friend…” Nan Tingjin repeated softly, his face impassive. “You’re not going over there.”
He seemed to disregard Qian Hui’s words, focusing solely on blocking his path.
Even if the squad members didn’t notice him, a single misstep could bring a lightning strike that would kill Qian Hui on the spot.
Not killing him wasn’t to let him throw away his life now.
Sensing Nan Tingjin’s stance, Qian Hui knew he wouldn’t help. He shook off the grip and moved to go himself.
In the next instant, Nan Tingjin’s hand clamped around his wrist.
“Let go!” Qian Hui struggled.
Nan Tingjin’s grip was ironclad—far stronger than Ruanteng’s earlier restraint.
Qian Hui strained every muscle, but couldn’t pry the fingers apart even slightly. In desperation, he buried his head and bit down on Nan Tingjin’s hand.
His teeth proved disappointingly dull, leaving only a shallow mark on the ski—hardly the ferocious bite one might expect from a zombie.
Nan Tingjin remained silent, unmoved. Qian Hui’s frustration boiled over. “You…”
The man-eating flower’s situation grew increasingly critical. With no news of Lajiao’s whereabouts, Qian Hui’s temper flared. He lashed out with a sharp kick to Nan Tingjin’s leg.
Still no reaction. Qian Hui’s mind raced back through their shared history.
When they couldn’t meet daily, Qian Hui’s attempts to help—like defending the plant courtyard from zombie incursions—had often ended in injury. Nan Tingjin would then enforce strict prohibitions, his protective instincts overriding reason.
Yet Nan Tingjin’s resolve had always been fragile. Qian Hui knew exactly how to coax him back.
Though much of his memory was lost now, perhaps he still retained some instinct to protect the man-eating flower.
Qian Hui closed the distance in two steps, throwing himself into Nan Tingjin’s arms. His free hand locked around the man’s neck.
“Xiao Jin…” Qian Hui nuzzled against the side of Nan Tingjin’s face, pressing a kiss to his cheek.
The soft sensation vanished quickly. He lost his footing, and Nan Tingjin momentarily swayed. Acting on instinct, he reached out to steady himself, and as expected, the pressure on his arm lessened.
At that precise moment, something strange happened.
[ A mutated plant nearby has entered a state of berserk. Please take evasive action! (From Field Guide: “Green Pepper”) ]
[ A mutated plant nearby has entered a state of berserk. Please take evasive action! (From Field Guide: “Man-eating flower”) ]
[ You have successfully obtained information about the Green Pepper’s Berserk Skill. Please check the Field Guide for details. ]
An explosion erupted, sending a powerful shockwave outward that kicked up a cloud of debris and dust.
At the epicenter of the blast stood the man-eating flower.
The thick ice wall that had once protected them melted away in an instant. The person standing closest to the flower cried out in panic, “I can’t use my ability anymore!”
The other three were in the same predicament. Above them, the dark clouds dissipated, revealing the moon’s cold light.
Then came the man-eating flower’s roar, followed by the release of its stored energy attack.
A second shockwave followed immediately after, this one different from the first. The intense air currents took physical form, hurling the person closest to the flower across the ground, landing them several meters away.
Nan Tingjin’s abilities were also affected, temporarily losing their power.
In the chaos, Qian Hui broke free from his restraints.
Ruanteng immediately sprang into action, helping Qian Hui dodge flying debris as they swiftly retreated.
With the loss of magical attacks, the man-eating flower finally freed itself.
However, it had sustained severe injuries. The shockwave from earlier was about to dissipate, and it likely wouldn’t last much longer. Leaving immediately was the safest decision.
It swung its floral stem, hurling a section of broken wall toward the four-person squad before turning to flee.
A game notification immediately popped up:
[ First faction conflict has ended. Both sides suffered heavy losses. Please continue your efforts~ ]
Qian Hui approached the area, and Ruanteng spotted Lajiao lying in a corner, gasping for breath. It guided Qian Hui over to the injured plant.
Recognizing the familiar scent, Lajiao weakly opened its eyes.
Qian Hui picked it up, not lingering for a moment, and followed the direction the man-eating flower had fled.
The man-eating flower’s injuries were even more severe, desperately needing treatment. This time, he couldn’t let it slip away again.
Moments later, when Nan Tingjin returned to his squad, both the man-eating flower and Qian Hui had already vanished.
All four members of the squad were wounded. The tall man pointed in a certain direction. “It escaped that way.”
That direction led to a high-risk zone—a dense forest.
The area was filled with mutated plants and high-level zombies. Pursuing it now would be a gamble.
Nan Tingjin’s eyes darkened as he walked toward the indicated direction.
“Boss?” the tall man called out.
Without turning back, Nan Tingjin tossed over his shoulder, “Treat your wounds. No need to follow me.”
