Care Guide to Raising a Max Level Leaf in Apocalypse - 97

New life

Hu Yan fell into silence again. Just when Ji Jiu thought he was about to continue arguing, he suddenly picked up the golden-rimmed glasses on the table, put them on, and restored his usual courteous appearance, saying, “You really make me feel like I’ve been foolish for so long.”

Rarely, he uttered a curse.

He cleared his throat, “Seeking conclusions in the apocalypse indeed makes no sense.”

In fact, due to the influence of Red Spider Lilly’s blooming, his body functions were gradually breaking down. Just after managing to say his piece, he now struggled to stand, legs trembling slightly.

Hu Yan sat down, “What do you want to do next?”

He addressed this question to Si Yin Yuan but kept his gaze on Ji Jiu.

Si Yin Yuan’s eyes also rested on Ji Jiu, speaking gently, “I remember when the Gama defense barrier collapsed, your research institute introduced a machine that could extract and convert Gama individually, preserving the defense barrier.”

He wasn’t selfish enough to conceal Ji Jiu’s abilities and couldn’t possibly sacrifice his loved one to save humanity.

Only with enough strength can one protect their loved ones, and as long as he’s unwilling, no one can force them to do anything.

Hu Yan couldn’t hold back, “Are you insane? Consuming too much Gama will lead to death!”

The concentration and strength of abilities had no correlation with the density of Gama. Initially, some speculated that individuals with higher Gama concentrations were more likely to undergo mutations.

However, it turned out that humans with high Gama concentrations wouldn’t undergo mutations. Instead, non-awakened individuals with no Gama elements in their bodies were more susceptible to contamination by various mutant entities in the apocalypse, turning into “cannibals.”

But the life of each awakened individual was closely linked to Gama. Once the Gama concentration in their bodies was zeroed, they would die.

Ji Jiu didn’t quite understand, pulling at the hem of his owner’s clothes anxiously.

Si Yin Yuan patted his head, “It’s okay, I’m confident.”

Hu Yan, with a serious expression, said, “When you first picked him up, I even questioned his identity. I’m sorry.”

This solemn demeanor made it seem like they weren’t about to search for a machine but were heading straight to their deaths.

Si Yin Yuan glanced at him without speaking.

Tears welled up in Hu Yan’s eyes, “Brother, I’ve never called you that, but you are the only brother I’ve acknowledged in my entire life…”

Suddenly, a voice came through the communicator in his hand. Ji Jiu answered for his owner, and from the other end, there was a sound of someone wailing.

“The, the Seer granny has passed away…”

…

Most of the people in the research institute had also fallen, with only a small number still maintaining their positions.

Stepping into this familiar white, highly-defended building again, everything seemed different. Circumstances had changed, and Ji Jiu’s footsteps were steadier than the first time, but what remained unchanged was the clarity in his eyes.

Tong Quancao was also brought in. This time, he meritoriously contributed to eradicating the Blood Sect, and Si Yin Yuan promised to apply for a completely new identity for him. Although he might still be under surveillance, it ensured he wouldn’t be confined again as an experimental subject, losing his freedom.

Tong Quancao himself didn’t care much. After returning to the research institute, he retracted into the isolated room where he had initially been a bud. He knew he had lost something crucial, but the lingering scent in that room reassured him.

The people taking care of the Seer granny had all fallen. Only Ruan Shuang, with her healing abilities, took over the work. She waited by the stiffening body until the base leader returned. Upon seeing them, she bowed deeply.

Hu Yan helped her up, “What did the Seer granny leave behind?”

Ruan Shuang wiped a tear from her eye, “Last night, it seemed like granny knew she was going to leave. She held my hand and said a lot of things, rarely being so clear-headed. Among them, she specifically instructed me to make sure Captain Si sees this letter.”

She suddenly lowered her voice, “She also instructed that if Captain Si doesn’t come back alive, then show it to Mr. Ji.”

Hu Yan remarked, “It seems the old lady anticipated that even if something happened to Captain Si Yin Yuan, it wouldn’t harm Mr. Ji Jiu.”

Ji Jiu reached out and pinched a piece of his owner’s clothing, expressing dissatisfaction internally.

Little Grass wouldn’t let his owner come to harm.

The brand new, unopened letter was delivered to Si Yin Yuan. Without hesitation, he opened it.

Unexpectedly, the handwriting inside was so familiar.

It was the handwriting of the former institute director!

Hu Yan couldn’t stay calm at this point, stretching his neck to see, “What does it say?”

Si Yin Yuan read through it quickly, his expression changing from mild surprise to seriousness. “Do you remember what project the director was busy with when he passed away?”

Hu Yan was stunned, recalling, “At that time, the doctor said if the director hadn’t been too exhausted, he could have lived two more years. But most of the crucial projects were transferred to me at that time. Because of being overwhelmed, I didn’t know what was burdening the director’s health at that time.”

The funeral was somewhat hasty, and there were continuous events afterward. Coupled with the Tong Quancao incident and the Gama defense barrier collapse, he hadn’t had time to organize the data left by the director.

Ji Jiu took the letter and read, “The old director said that the Seer granny actually foresaw two outcomes. One was that the owner successfully became humanity’s hope, and the second was if he failed, but a turning point appeared beside him.”

This turning point naturally referred to Little Grass.

Proudly, Ji Jiu straightened his chest, “So, to prepare for the second outcome, he and the Seer Granny actually started planning a long time ago.”

“And they named it ‘Endowment.'”

At that time, they had already released the first prophecy. To avoid causing panic and interfering with the future’s course, hardly anyone knew about their plan. Even the second-in-command at the research institute at the time, now the new institute director, Hu Yan, was unaware that buried in the deepest underground basement of the institute was a machine capable of changing the fate of all humanity.

[Endowment]

…

A white shell stood silently there, adorned with blue light strips, and the most striking feature was the huge radiation plates.

This was a device capable of radiating abilities. Due to its excessive energy consumption, it could only be used once.

Hu Yan exclaimed, “So the cost of the Red Spider Lilly spreading vitality is its own life. Originally, I thought spreading Ji Jiu’s ‘Vitality – Bestow’ to the entire world would also require a sacrifice. Indeed, even in the apocalypse, humanity can still rely on its wisdom to survive.”

Si Yin Yuan reassured, “Rest assured, even without this machine, I wouldn’t let Ji Jiu sacrifice himself to save the whole world.”

The thought of Little Grass wilting instantly like that withered flower caused a dull ache in his heart.

Hu Yan pushed up his golden-rimmed glasses, “So when you asked me for the conversion machine used for the Gama defense barrier, were you planning to transfer all your Gama to him?”

Si Yin Yuan raised an eyebrow, “Hmm?”

He raised his hand and knocked on the adjacent door.

The door opened, and dozens of awakened individuals rushed in.

Noisy and crowded, they filled the place, each person with a loud voice.

“Captain Si, we’re here!”

“Captain! Just let us know if you need us!”

“We can do anything!”

It turned out to be these hunters who had been healed by Ji Jiu outside the base. Upon receiving the news, they all rushed back without hesitation.

Si Yin Yuan said, “If one person’s Gama isn’t enough to save the entire base, then add the Gama of these many people.”

Now with [Endowment], they could save more than just one base.

Hu Yan’s face slowly stiffened, awkwardly digging his toe into the ground. “Why didn’t you say so earlier? I almost thought you were going to sacrifice yourself for the greater good!”

Innocently eating to replenish his strength, Ji Jiu caught onto the keywords and abruptly raised his head, “I don’t want my owner to sacrifice himself for the greater good.”

After saying that, he hugged his owner’s waist, looking at Hu Yan with an expression of blaming the wrongdoer.

The other hunters didn’t know what had happened, but seeing Ji Jiu’s pitiful appearance, they all joined in accusing, “How can you bully him like this?”

Hu Yan was speechless.

Seeing that Ji Jiu’s stamina was almost replenished, following the description in the machine manual, Si Yin Yuan led him to the machine’s operating platform.

Although called an operating platform, it was essentially a stone pillar standing waist-high to a person, with a recessed handprint on top.

Just placing a hand on it would release abilities endlessly spreading throughout the world.

Behind the machine, there was a small converter, specifically designed to convert the Gama elements of others to the person in the main position, essentially a miniaturized version of the Gama defense barrier machine.

As the critical moment approached, Si Yin Yuan realized how fast his heart was beating.

Ji Jiu also heard it, reaching out to imitate his owner’s usual manner, rubbing his head. “It’s okay.”

He lowered his voice to a minimum, leaning close to his owner’s ear and whispered, “With you humans, of course, it’s impossible to cover the entire world with vitality. But I’m not human, remember? I am Little Grass.”

“Don’t forget, I am the most perfect evolved species.”

Si Yin Yuan softened his gaze, “Yes.”

He stepped back to join the others, placing his hand on the machine that converted Gama elements.

“Then I’ll start.” Hu Yan took a deep breath, suddenly pulling down the switch.

In an instant, countless green dots exploded before their eyes, a lively performance where each green dot trailed a graceful color at the end, absorbed by the machine in the moment of fusion with the air, radiating to a broader world. Yet, even so, numerous green dots still overflowed from under his hand, carrying the flourishing vitality sedimented by time.

Each green light was more dazzling than the most brilliant fireworks, like a scene from a fairy tale, gently bringing the most important things from the river of life.

Hu Yan extended his hand to catch one, and before his eyes appeared a starry night sky, an endless blue sea, and vibrant life forms on the earth mingling in color.

Like a musical movement composed of notes.

In this unprecedented visual feast, everyone saw it.

The vitality belonging to this world was awakening.