Care Guide to Raising a Max Level Leaf in Apocalypse - 29
Dragonfruit
The four people below were dumbfounded as they watched the usually composed Chief Si princess-carrying Ji Jiu down gently. Upon closer inspection, it seemed like Si Yin Yuan’s ears were a bit red.
Meanwhile, the gigantic millipede seemed like a mere decoration, allowing the two of them to display their affection on its back for quite some time.
Si Yin Yuan’s hand skillfully passed through Ji Jiu’s legs, holding him securely. Both being carried and carrying someone in this manner were first-time experiences for them. Ji Jiu found it quite amusing, his eyes curving with delight.
As Si Yin Yuan’s mood improved, his face couldn’t help but break into a smile.
The four anxiously waiting below: …
Guan Yin couldn’t help but murmur, “Is this the greatness of love?”
Si Yin Yuan had a stern expression as he went up to receive Ji Jiu, but when he descended, he had the look of someone who had just found the most valuable treasure.
They didn’t know what had happened up there, but one thing was certain—it was anything but simple, anything but ordinary.
When Ji Jiu was placed down, he took a big bite of the black fruit, successfully drawing everyone’s attention.
The second sister of the triplets said, “This thing looks strangely familiar?”
The third sister thought for a moment. “It’s like an enlarged dragonfruit.”
The eldest sister examined it closely and suddenly realized, “It’s those wild mountain berries, right?”
When they were younger, they often went into the mountains to pick and eat these wild berries. When the dragonfruit was ripe, it turned into these blackish-purple berries, and they would blossom white flowers in the summer.
Ji Jiu didn’t know the exact type, only that it tasted delicious. It was a gift from the huge steel-like millipede he had encountered earlier, which, despite its intimidating appearance, turned out to be unexpectedly timid.
Fearing that this little rascal might eat him in one gulp if he got upset, the millipede tremblingly handed over its food supplies.
Before finding them, Ji Jiu had already eaten dozens of these dragonfruit. Si Yin Yuan’s misunderstanding that his appetite had decreased was completely baseless.
Guan Yin, who had just woken up and used his abilities, needed to replenish his energy urgently. He remembered, “I recall that dragonfruit is one of the few mutated plants that can be eaten, right?”
In the post-apocalyptic world, things were not friendly for regular people without abilities. Many foods that awakeners could consume were off-limits to regular folks. Dragonfruit fell into the category of food awakeners could eat, which was why it didn’t gain much favor within the base.
The base preferred to focus on foods that both awakeners and regular people could consume, even if they tasted bad and had an ugly appearance.
Ji Jiu instinctively showed a guarded expression, quickly finishing the remaining dragonfruit in his hand with a gulp, puffing up his cheeks like a little hamster hoarding food.
Si Yin Yuan reached out and lightly poked his cheek, soothing him before he got defensive, “Take your time, no one dares to snatch from you.”
Si Yin Yuan finished speaking and cast a faint glance at Guan Yin.
Guan Yin: ??? Do I look like someone who would steal food?
Guan Yin felt somewhat troubled. Just as he was about to say something, he glanced back at the motionless millipede, and he instantly froze. Stammering, he said, “Did we… forget something?”
He had actually ignored the giant and terrifying millipede while chatting.
Although it currently didn’t seem hostile, the oppressive feeling it gave off was substantial. After all, it only needed to move its steel-clad limbs slightly to easily flatten him.
Ji Jiu blinked and said, “It won’t attack us.”
Guan Yin took a deep breath, his shock almost entirely visible in his expression. He looked at Ji Jiu with uncertain eyes, as if he were a stranger rather than someone he had been with for several days.
This was the normal reaction, Ji Jiu thought. He should be used to it.
As a mutant, he was destined not to be liked by humans, a fact he had realized when he first entered the base.
However, a strange emotion suddenly surfaced in his heart—slight sadness, something Little Grass had never experienced.
Mutants shouldn’t have such complex emotions. Ji Jiu’s gaze became slightly perplexed.
He shook his head and lied, “It didn’t do anything.”
Guan Yin didn’t believe him. “It’s impossible for a mutant to have no inclination to attack humans.”
All mutants had a tendency to attack, even slightly mutated edible plants, which didn’t rule out the possibility of them killing humans. This was common knowledge imprinted in everyone’s brains after going through the apocalypse.
The second sister thought for a moment, “Maybe it’s full?”
Guan Yin clenched his fists and then let them go weakly. “This reason is too far-fetched. Even if it’s full, mutants would still attack humans. Mutants and humans can never coexist peacefully.”
Ji Jiu felt somewhat wronged. He wanted to say that he had never shown any aggression towards them. He was a law-abiding little grass.
Feeling his low spirits, Si Yin Yuan reached out and patted his head. Then, he looked expressionless at Guan Yin and asked, “I remember you said that when you encountered this millipede, it carried you up to the lighthouse and brought you into the secret realm. It didn’t attack you either.”
Guan Yin froze, carefully recalling. It did seem to be the case. However, at that time, the millipede had carried him very roughly, as if it intended to take him back as a reserve food source, completely different from how it treated Ji Jiu.
He hadn’t expected even mutants to have double standards.
Guan Yin: “Maybe I misunderstood after all. This mutant is indeed very strange…”
Millipede: No, I really did want to eat you.
The thousand-legged millipede, which couldn’t speak or understand human language, suffered from its lack of knowledge. It could only lie still, playing dead. At the moment Si Yin Yuan had just flown up, it sensed from those golden wings that he was someone not to be messed with. Now, it had even fewer thoughts of resistance.
Although he hadn’t figured out why, Guan Yin immediately apologized to Ji Jiu, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to doubt you. I was just afraid that you weren’t the real Ji Jiu.”
This secret realm had its share of ghost stories. Legend had it that some of the survivors who were killed by mutants in this base refused to leave, and their souls often wandered here.
It wasn’t that he doubted Ji Jiu’s identity as a mutant, so Ji Jiu felt happier. He shook his head and said, “I’m not angry.”
He appeared so understanding that Guan Yin felt even more guilty. He wanted to say something more, but was interrupted by Si Yin Yuan.
“Let’s leave this place.”
Staying under the giant mutant any longer wasn’t an option. Since it currently showed no signs of aggression, Si Yin Yuan didn’t intend to take action.
His ability was too conspicuous. If he were to seize the life force of such a large mutant, the entire abandoned base would take notice, making the mission much more difficult.
They left the square and walked to a place where they couldn’t see the giant millipede.
“Stay close to me this time and don’t get lost again,” Si Yin Yuan said, turning his head. But the rest of his words suddenly got stuck in his throat.
Ji Jiu, holding a newly found dragonfruit, was happily eating away. The incident of getting lost didn’t seem to affect him at all.
Si Yin Yuan couldn’t help but poke his plump cheek again, feeling puzzled. “Where did you find these fruits?”
Sometimes he couldn’t help but suspect that Ji Jiu had a radar for finding food. He always managed to unexpectedly locate food in places Si Yin Yuan couldn’t have imagined.
Ji Jiu, covered his cheeks to avoid being poked, mumbled, “There are many over there.”
He pointed in a direction toward an abandoned building.
The second sister was puzzled. “A weak mutant plant like the dragonfruit should be difficult to find, right?”
With mixed beliefs, they followed Ji Jiu’s direction and actually discovered a large area of dragonfruit.
Si Yin Yuan raised his foot and walked over, pondering, “Something’s not right. These dragonfruits are artificially cultivated.”
They were neatly arranged and even had some camouflage. If it weren’t for Ji Jiu’s innate radar leading them here, it would have been easy to overlook this place, especially for the not-so-smart mutants.
This meant that not only were there people growing these dragonfruits, but they were also putting considerable effort into protecting them from being eaten or stolen. Unfortunately for them, they encountered Ji Jiu, the self-walking food radar.
Guan Yin muttered, “So, someone is really cultivating these dragonfruits. No wonder they’re growing in such a weak state here.”
The eldest sister leaned close to his ear and blew a breath while teasing him, “How do you know it’s people who are growing these dragonfruits?”
Despite the scorching sunshine, Guan Yin was frightened enough to break into a cold sweat. “I-If they aren’t people, then what else could be growing them?”
Ji Jiu’s eyes instantly lit up. “I know, I know! It’s ghosts!”
He peeked out from behind Si Yin Yuan, trying to spot any ghostly traces.
The second and third sisters laughed in unison. “Look at how scared you are! Ji Jiu is braver than you.”
Guan Yin covered his mouth and didn’t want to speak anymore. He walked briskly at the front, just wanting to get away from this uncomfortable building as fast as possible, forgetting all about the delicious dragonfruits.
In this vast office building, there was not a soul in sight, and only their footsteps echoed on the ground. Nearby, there were many similarly sized office buildings. Even looking out of the windows, they could see identical office buildings across from them.
Guan Yin used all four hands to rub his goosebumps, saying while rubbing, “There can’t possibly be ghosts in this world… Oh, what’s that?”
His voice suddenly took on a tone of fear, and he didn’t dare move forward.
Ji Jiu looked toward the opposite side from the same angle and immediately widened his eyes. “Wow, it’s so lively over there.”
It was filled with “people.”
Sitting in their respective positions, they occupied every single seat on that floor.
Guan Yin’s upper and lower teeth rattled as if they were in a fight. “Are those things really people?”
From their vantage point, they could only see people sitting upright in the opposite office building, seemingly busy with some work.
Their limbs all had a slightly disjointed feel, and their facial expressions were obscured by the dust on the glass.
In an abandoned base like this, there was actually a group of corporate slaves working tirelessly day and night, is there still any humanity left!?
Guan Yin decided unilaterally that this was the scariest horror story ever.