RIACMET chapter 263

 

After Tang Yi and Zhou Rongbin completed the fusion of their new superpowers, Team 017 began carrying out field missions as needed.

In addition to routine rescue missions, they took the opportunity to test their new abilities.

As the world entered a new phase of stability, surviving bases that hadn’t disbanded started using a soil restoration agent to revive agriculture.

Authorities would provide assistance to bases and shelters in the process of restoring basic production when faced with large-scale zombie waves or interference from zombie groups, depending on the situation.

Some bases had been disbanded during zombie surges but their physical infrastructure remained intact. These bases are now managed by teams dispatched by the authorities.

This time, Cheng Jing and his team were sent to assist the small base “Dawn,” which had only about 20 hectares of farmland and less than 1,000 square meters of residential area. Its population numbered just over 100 people. The base was abandoned due to the impact of a zombie wave and later merged with South City Base.

The remaining farmland and facilities were then placed under the supervision of a team sent from South City Base.

Although Dawn wasn’t near South City, its situation was unique. Before the apocalypse, it was a privately owned farm with over a dozen underground storage bunkers filled with nutrient-rich soil.

Some parts of the land were covered with thick plastic and large greenhouses. Due to its remote location, the soil suffered minimal damage, leaving some portions unpolluted.

Once the stabilization phase began, base staff transported all the nutrient-rich soil out of the bunkers and used it to transform 20 hectares of farmland into fertile planting fields.

After the zombie wave hit and all non-combat personnel were evacuated from South City Base, the military established an isolation zone and dropped ammunition to safeguard the valuable farmland.

Once the situation was under control, a team of 30 people was sent to manage the area alongside the original agricultural staff from Dawn Base.

The fields were full of crops that were growing remarkably well. Harvest season was near, which could solve the food shortage for many people.

When surveillance detected around 5,000 zombies converging on the area, the base responded immediately upon receiving the distress signal. To ensure everything was handled properly, Minister Wang personally requested that Cheng Jing and his team step in.

With Jiang Nian present, the spread of infection to humans and contamination of crops could be prevented.

“Raaaargh—”

The zombies’ roars echoed as they slowly drew nearer.

Because Zhou Rongbin’s superpower was necessary to confront the zombies, Jiang Nian’s purification ability could not be used.

Looking for something to do, he pulled out a rocket launcher and fired a few rounds. Then, he handed Huang Qian some piranha and Venus flytrap seeds that he had obtained earlier.

Since they weren’t edible fruits or vegetables, there was no concern about pollution if they were force-grown. Moreover, the authorities had recently started using aircraft to spray large amounts of soil purification powder and agents over populated areas. Several rounds had already been conducted near Dawn Base.

Although the land was still unsuitable for direct planting, the level of soil pollution had diminished significantly.

Crack, crack…

Wussshhh!

With the help of supernatural energy and under Lu Ningzhou’s control, a few seeds sprouted into hundreds of piranha plants and Venus flytraps. They mutated and grew rampantly, like something out of a special effects movie.

From cute little balcony plants, they instantly transformed into horrifying predators.

Their thick vines and branches, as wide as Roman columns, stretched out more than ten meters. Their tips were lined with razor-sharp thorns that resembled the gaping maws of monsters—large enough to swallow a person whole.

The thorns dripped with a corrosive fluid that released a strange odor—part floral, part bloody and metallic.

Anyone who inhaled the scent would become dizzy and might start hallucinating or hearing things. However, zombies were drawn to the smell.

“This is terrifying… straight out of a nightmare.”

Jiang Nian murmured as he watched the mutated plants. Not even the visual effects in movies did them justice.

Many plants are toxic by nature, and they became even more terrifying once mutated.

“That’s so cool, Sister Qian…”

“If we ever encounter a superpower user who can control plants, we need to be really careful.”

His teammates couldn’t help but shiver. Controlling mutated plants is one of the most horrifying forms of offensive psychic power.

Of course, not all users of plant manipulation abilities could achieve this level.

Their team was powerful and heavily armed, so Sister Qian rarely had the chance to demonstrate her abilities. Now, however, with her mutated carnivorous plants and Venus flytraps, everyone finally understands just how formidable she is.

“Don’t call me ‘Sister’—call me ‘Queen’!”

Huang Qian’s eyes sparkled with delight; she was completely unbothered by fear. She had always been proud of her ability to control plants, and her pride had now reached new heights.

She could attack, defend, and provide support, just like a one-woman army.

The wall of mutated plants grew taller rapidly. Angered by the rocket launcher, the zombies roared and charged at them through the rising dust.

Zhou Rongbin cloaked the mutated plants in a supernatural mirage, trapping the zombies within range of the carnivorous plants and flying traps.

Once he activated his fused psychic power, the zombies fell into disarray, attacking one another in confusion.

Those who weren’t torn apart by their own kind were shredded by mutated carnivorous plants and Venus flytraps.

The howls of zombies and the crunching of bones could be heard one after another, and the stench of decay filled the air.

“… ”

The more Zhou Rongbin spread his supernatural influence, the more mental energy he consumed, so his illusions couldn’t last too long.

But for Cheng Jing and the others, that brief chaos was more than enough—they were incredibly strong, after all.

The mirage dissipated and most of the zombies had been wiped out. However, many of the mutated plants had also been destroyed. The team began cleaning up the aftermath. After all, they couldn’t waste so many crystal cores.

Tang Yi was an expert in close-quarters combat. Regular zombies were no match for him.

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

After Jian Cheng easily took down several zombies, he looked at Jiang Nian and sighed.

“Brother Nian, I feel like I don’t deserve to be on the team anymore. My heart is cold.”

Compared to his teammates, he felt underwhelming.

As Jiang Nian activated his special power to support everyone, he patted Jian Cheng on the shoulder and said,

“People are never satisfied. I’m no different. I’ve always wanted to swap powers with Brother Jing and conquer the world.”

Despite being humanity’s last hope, he wasn’t immune to envy. However, the satisfaction he gained from supporting others was different from the thrill of brute strength.

Jian Cheng gave him a thumbs-up.

“You’re amazing, Brother Nian! Why don’t you talk it over with Brother Cheng?”

Jiang Nian raised an eyebrow.

“Stop trying to lead me astray, kid.”

Yes, he was envious. Had he not had the experiences from his previous life, he might have seriously considered it. But not in this one.

Jian Cheng laughed and picked up his sniper rifle again.

“…”

After eliminating the zombie threat, they used a drone to survey the area. Once the crisis was over, Cheng Jing reported back to base.

Since the crops were nearly ripe, Minister Wang suggested that Huang Qian use her powers to speed up the harvest, purify the goods, and transport them back to base.

Cheng Jing had no objections and quickly made plans with Huang Qian and mobilized trucks.

They gathered potatoes, corn, and sweet potatoes, all of which are staple foods. Bringing them back to base for processing would alleviate a lot of the food shortage.

In addition to this location, the land where Jiang Nian’s power had once spun out of control had been fenced off, cultivated, and entered the harvest phase.

Apart from the farms Jiang Nian managed personally, South City Base had two additional external supply sources, making it significantly stronger than most other bases.

“… ”

“Mr. Liao? Brother Yu!”

Inside the fields, Jiang Nian was using his purification powers on a large scale. Liao Yu and the others were watching from outside the fence when they heard a familiar voice call out to them.

A young man in a camouflage uniform approached them with a bright, handsome face.

His voice sounded familiar, but Liao Yu couldn’t quite place it. He smiled awkwardly.

“Sorry, who are you?”

He’d had many acquaintances before the apocalypse, but after two years of hardship, he had forgotten anyone who wasn’t particularly important.

Qian Lang cupped his face with both hands and leaned forward.

“Brother Yu, it’s me, Qian Lang from Xingyu Studio.”

“Xingyu… Ah! Now I remember!”

Liao Yu’s eyes lit up. Instead of the expected hug after the long separation, he offered a handshake.

“Wow, Qian Lang, you’re here!”

Qian Lang didn’t mind and grinned.

“I was planning to wait until everything was harvested and sent back to South City before looking for you, but I didn’t expect to come across something like this.”

He pointed somewhere nearby.

“Come on. Let’s talk over there.”

“All right.”

Liao Yu nodded. After spending so long in the apocalypse, running into a familiar face brought a rare sense of warmth and connection.