Care Guide to Raising a Max Level Leaf in Apocalypse - 1
Blue Vein
“Danger… Stay away… You’ll be eaten…”
An imperceptible flow of information spread through the air by ravens, carrying repetitive words like a stuck tape.
This building seemed to have formed a secluded zone, where no mutated creature, regardless of size, dared to approach.
The torrential rain arrived as expected, with lightning and black ash embedded in the dense clouds.
Most mutated creatures stretched their bodies greedily, absorbing the rainfall, desperately seeking water sources.
Amidst this carnivalesque gathering of plant-like mutants, only a delicate little grass was unhappy.
Ji Jiu remained in his small potted plant, twisting and turning, trying to shake off the water droplets that fell on his leaves.
He was entirely green, with only two small leaves, and measured only three centimeters in height. Even a water droplet could bend his small leaves.
He had been pampered before and disliked the feeling of water droplets hitting his body.
His previous caretakers would carefully avoid watering his pot to spare the tender little grass.
Unable to escape the rainy season, Ji Jiu gave up and lazily surveyed the building. After sweeping through with black mist, he solemnly discovered that there was truly no other living being left in the building.
If he wanted to find food, he had to release the black mist like before. However, if the distance to his main body was too far, the efficiency of the mist’s predation would be significantly reduced.
The ravens outside were still spreading messages. The raven flock had once wanted to settle in this clean building, but only a few of them remained after being eaten by Ji Jiu.
Those few ravens were unwilling to leave and spread messages every day, warning other mutated creatures not to approach.
Ji Jiu rolled up his leaves. He felt hungry.
The thought of leaving arose once again.
The downpour reminded him of his caretaker, who had found him as a seedling on a day just as bad as this one.
He had thought he would grow up under the care of his caretaker until he became a five-centimeter-tall grass.
Unfortunately, when he was only three centimeters tall, a global distortion outbreak occurred, and his caretaker never returned after leaving that day.
Many human beings, like his caretaker, once inhabited this building. They had said that it was an apocalypse called the End Times before they either escaped or were devoured by various mutated creatures.
It wasn’t until the last human being in the building died that Ji Jiu, learning from other mutated creatures, started consuming them. From that moment on, any mutated creature that entered the building would be devoured by the black mist Ji Jiu released, regardless of its strength or size.
The cleanliness of the building was all thanks to Ji Jiu.
The consequence of excessive brutality was that no mutated creature dared to approach the vicinity. Ji Jiu hadn’t had a proper meal in over five minutes!
This was a serious problem.
Ji Jiu had one good personality trait, and that was laziness.
His laziness kept him obediently waiting at home for three years for his caretaker.
But there was one thing he couldn’t tolerate!
And that was not having anything to eat.
He began exerting effort to pull his roots out of the soil.
The soil was brought by his caretaker from a distant place and was said to be excellent for plant growth. Ji Jiu had been comfortably staying in it for so long and was now attempting to come out.
He struggled for a while, almost giving up. He glanced longingly at the window, where dangerous mutated creatures roamed.
To him, all those mutated creatures were labeled as delicious.
With a newfound determination, Ji Jiu continued to struggle and twist in the pot, trying to pull himself out. Finally, he successfully uprooted his fine white roots completely.
Unlike the well-developed root systems of ordinary grass, Ji Jiu’s roots were as tiny and short as his three-centimeter body, delicate and slender.
With each step he took on the ground, his feet sank softly, causing him to stagger.
Before he could fully experience this new and exciting sensation, a gust of wind blew, carrying Ji Jiu uncontrollably to the window curtain.
He clung tightly to the edge of the curtain, swaying in the wind, small and helpless, resembling a decorative curtain ornament.
He should become more conducive to action.
Just as this thought emerged, the silhouette of the grass on the curtain was instantly replaced by a human figure.
Curious, Ji Jiu poked his own cheek and felt a softness in his fingertips. He had just imagined his caretaker’s image in his mind, and now he had transformed into a human just like his caretaker.
The energy consumption brought about by transformation was greater than he had imagined. Raindrops on his fair skin sent a shiver down his spine.
The human form was more delicate and susceptible to cold. The dampness on his body was still uncomfortable.
From the small balcony where Ji Jiu lingered, he could see the entire bedroom. When he was still an ordinary grass, he had watched his caretaker change clothes countless times.
He mimicked his caretaker’s actions and opened the wardrobe, selecting clothes from inside.
The clothes belonging to Si Yin Yuan were more than one size too big, and after a long search, Ji Jiu reluctantly found an unopened white shirt. The outfit beneath it was even more peculiar.
Ji Jiu had to roll up his trousers to prevent himself from tripping.
This was his first time venturing out of the house. The elevator had long been out of order, so Ji Jiu descended through the emergency staircase.
The nearby mutated creatures sensed the approaching danger and became restless. A mutated dung beetle raised a massive blood mud ball made of flesh, while a mutated lily pad leaf swayed its snake-like leaves, attempting to drag the prey’s corpse to cover itself.
The few ravens that had spread messages felt the approaching death and flapped their wings, glaring at the red eyes of the mutated creatures, escaping as fast as they could.
The torrential rain stopped suddenly and silently.
The protagonist responsible for creating this tense atmosphere arrived late.
Ji Jiu had no awareness of being disliked or feared by the nearby mutated creatures. He, like a cruel king, surveyed his territory, immediately fixating on a nearby poisonous fly agaric mushroom.
He hadn’t tasted what the red mushroom would be like.
Lost in thought for less than three seconds, he suddenly reached out and plucked the seemingly highly toxic mushroom. It took him only half a second from plucking it to putting it in his mouth.
If mutated creatures could speak, they would collectively gasp in horror.
Chewing and swallowing, Ji Jiu’s eyes brightened.
It’s delicious!
He felt a few moments of joy, and the terrifying low pressure that was invisible to the naked eye on his body completely disappeared. His round almond eyes appeared harmless, but no mutated creature was foolish enough to come out at such a moment.
Mushrooms always liked to appear in groups, so Ji Jiu looked around and unsurprisingly found several more poisonous fly agaric mushrooms in front of him. He happily picked them all, putting them into his mouth, not collecting them in a basket like the nursery rhyme, but devouring them all.
One in his left hand, one in his right, and one being chewed in his mouth.
He continued along the path paved with these red-capped, white-stemmed mushrooms, eating his way out. The joy of eating made him temporarily forget some important things.
Occasionally, when encountering larger mushrooms, he had to tear them in half before he could eat them.
Finally, he stopped in a park, having consumed all the mushrooms in the surroundings.
The park’s original playground equipment was covered with mutated plants like ivy. In the sandbox where children used to build castles, there were a few leftover bones, with the flesh on top completely devoured by the mutated creatures hidden beneath the sand.
The mutated creatures in the park were unfamiliar to Ji Jiu. They lurked in the shadows, watching this human who smelled so fragrant and appeared defenseless, like an easy target for prey. They began planning how to divide him right in front of him.
This area was the territory of a large patch of blue vein vines. The blue veins on these vines, marked by irregular blue circles, occupied almost the entire underground of the park.
These mutated creatures were similar to deep-sea blue-ringed octopuses. Like octopuses, they had multiple brains, with an auxiliary brain attached to the larger vines while the main brain was hidden in the deepest part. They relied on these auxiliary brains to move around.
This meeting for dividing prey was ultimately suppressed by the dominant blue vein vines in the park.
Even if they were tempted, the other mutated creatures could only hide in corners, watching in horror as the slimy and sticky vines approached the weak human. The vines emitted sinister pheromones, eager to witness the human torn to shreds.
Perhaps they could snatch some splatters of blood and flesh when that happened.
Surrounded by bloodthirsty vines, Ji Jiu’s aura remained undisturbed. He looked at the nearest blue vein vine thoughtfully, revealing a smile that could easily confuse others: “I just haven’t had my fill yet.”
Black mist emanated from his palm, enveloping the vines that were attempting to escape.
Any vine touched by the black mist disappeared completely.
This was Ji Jiu’s ability called “Devour,” which made mutated creatures fear him. Although the vines he devoured didn’t provide any gustatory enjoyment, they were all converted into energy that he absorbed.
With his hunger satisfied, Ji Jiu had no intention of sparing these blue vein vines.
He surveyed the park, and all the mutated creatures trembled in fear.
These non-sentient creatures sensed that what stood before them was not a human, but something even more terrifying.
“Where is your main brain?” Ji Jiu grew impatient, grasping a vine that had been partially devoured and interrogating it.
Only the vines with auxiliary brains couldn’t understand what he was saying. They were afraid and desperately trying to escape.
The blue vein vines also had a fatal weakness: these vines with auxiliary brains would eventually connect to the location of the main brain. Ji Jiu simply lifted the vine from the ground; it was something three or four adult men couldn’t move. He quickly followed the vine to where it connected with the main brain, which happened to be the children’s sandbox.
The vines hiding in the sand couldn’t escape, as Ji Jiu squeezed them out.
The main vine was thicker than the other extensions and had several branches resembling octopus tentacles, from which new extensions emerged.
This blue vein vine, which dominated the entire park, came to be in this way.
Now that the main brain was in his grasp, the vine completely lost its initial arrogance and pretended to be lifeless.
Ji Jiu didn’t hesitate; black mist emanated from his palm, and he devoured the main vine. As soon as the main brain disappeared, all the auxiliary brains lost consciousness instantly.
…
In the mall next to the park, Yu Feichen was ready to deliver his prepared testament with tears streaming down his face.
Li Chao, who was caught with him, frowned and said, “Are you expecting me to become a ghost after I die and speak out your will?”
“Oh right, we’re probably going to die here.” Yu Feichen joked, “I hope they don’t divide me into too many pieces.”
If they hadn’t been misled by incorrect information during their mission, which caused their team to scatter, and if they hadn’t been poisoned, leaving them completely powerless against the attack of the blue vein vines, they wouldn’t be in such a predicament.
Li Chao closed his eyes and said, “Let’s pray.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the blue vein vines that were about to strangle them suddenly began convulsing weakly.
Yu Feichen quickly reacted, twisting his body and kicking his legs to free himself from the vines’ grasp. He exclaimed in surprise, “What religion do you believe in? It’s so effective!”
Li Chao, experienced in combat, used a tactical knife to cut off the vines that had suddenly lost vitality. He picked up one of the vines and examined it carefully, furrowing his brow. “This is because the main brain near them died.”
He skillfully ignored Yu Feichen’s nonsense.
Yu Feichen raised his voice.
“The main brain of the blue vein vines has always been difficult to deal with. Did the captain reach here?”