“Knock, knock.”
Wen Xian suddenly opened her eyes. She was back in her familiar room, not that strange space.
“Beautiful Wen, are you up yet? We’re about to set off.”
Outside the door came Shouzi’s cheerful voice. Wen Xian frowned, picked up the phone on her bedside, and checked the time, 8:12. They had agreed to leave at 9:00 yesterday. She said coldly, “Please tell Brother Lian not to worry. I’ll be ready on time.”
The person outside didn’t leave and chuckled twice: “I was worried you’d oversleep, so I came to wake you. Breakfast will be ready soon, hurry up!”
Wen Xian restrained her irritation and replied, “Fine. Thank you.”
“No need, no need. Why so polite with me? Hurry up, I’ll wait downstairs,” he said, humming as he walked off.
Wen Xian felt thoroughly disgusted. She couldn’t understand how someone could act so brazenly, as if they were on familiar terms.
After quickly washing up, she grabbed a piece of bread to eat, paced around the room once, and then took down the wooden rod from the clothes hanger that the landlord had prepared, intending to use it as a weapon.
The rod fit perfectly in her hand, had the right weight, and the 1.2-meter length was just right. She nodded in satisfaction, slung a backpack over her shoulders, and stepped out.
By the time she reached downstairs, quite a few people were already at the table eating breakfast. Seeing her carrying the wooden stick, Ding Wei sneered mockingly: “You really don’t think that thing can kill the mutated animals and plants outside, do you?”
This person had never treated her properly, so Wen Xian ignored her. Ding Wei’s expression darkened further.
Shouzi quickly pulled out the chair next to him and smiled at Wen Xian: “Beautiful Wen, sit here. I saved this spot just for you.”
Wen Xian forced a smile and sat in another empty chair, leaving a space between her and Qi Hao and Fan Yaohui. Qi Hao was a young man in his early twenties, looking like a college student. He had moved in shortly after Wen Xian and they had crossed paths a few times, just nodding acquaintances.
She remembered he used to wear glasses; now they were gone. She glanced at him but didn’t ask. Qi Hao smiled and nodded at her.
Shouzi’s smile twisted for a moment when he saw this, but he quickly returned to a calm expression, though he made the spoon clink against the porridge bowl noisily.
Chen Lian tossed Wen Xian a piece of bread. She glanced at it, everyone had a piece of bread and a bowl of porridge.
Just as she was about to serve herself some porridge, the landlady brought a bowl over and placed it in front of her.
Wen Xian thanked her and looked at her, but the landlady’s eyes were downcast and expressionless, her previously meticulous makeup gone. She seemed like a completely different person from her earlier warm and cheerful self, ignoring Wen Xian’s thanks entirely.
Ding Wei sneered again: “Such a fake, hypocritical white lotus.”
Wen Xian still didn’t respond and quietly ate her porridge. By the time she finished, she was full but still ate the piece of bread.
After everyone finished eating, Chen Lian said, “Today, Qi Hao and Fan Yaohui will stay behind.”
Naturally, the landlady and her son wouldn’t go out, which meant that today, aside from Wen Xian as the outsider, everyone going out would be from the youth hostel.
Wen Xian remained calm, seemingly unaware of Ding Wei’s expectant, watchful gaze and Shouzi’s dark, hidden stare despite his smile.
The area about fifty meters in front of the inn had already been cleared, but in just one night, many vines had crept back, gradually eroding their safe zone step by step.
“Damn it, these sons of bitches are disgusting. Clearing them every day is like doing nothing at all.”
Zhang Jun seemed particularly irritable. Wen Xian glanced at him and noticed he had a rifle gun strapped to his back and a sickle in his hand, staring at the mutated plants with pure hatred.
The others had similar equipment. Each person carried a bag; the three women only had knives in hand, while the men each had a gun and a knife. Wen Xian didn’t ask where they got so many weapons and simply tightened her grip on her wooden rod.
Chen Lian assigned the groups: “I, Ding Wei, Shao Qingqing, Cai Cai, and Zhang Jun are one team. Cai Xin, Shouzi, and Wen Xian are the other. The usual rule: if you find a pack of food, return immediately; if you don’t, be back before nightfall. Otherwise, no one will go looking for you.”
No one objected. Shouzi said, “Brother Lian, you’ll be surrounded by women, and Zhang Jun hasn’t awakened any abilities. Let Cai Xin go with you. After all, besides looking for food today, you also need to protect Cai Cai. One person is enough on my end.”
At his words, all eyes turned to Wen Xian. She remained expressionless. Chen Lian glanced at her, then nodded: “Take care of yourselves.”
Shouzi was overjoyed. Previously, Chen Lian hadn’t been keen on him being near Wen Xian, but today he got his wish.
The two groups set off separately. Before leaving, Ding Wei wore a look of eager anticipation, the others smiled meaningfully, Shao Qingqing remained expressionless, and Cai Cai looked conflicted, hesitating to speak, eventually being pulled away by Ding Wei.
Once alone, Shouzi became even bolder, moving closer to Wen Xian, his gaze intense: “Beautiful Wen, now it’s just the two of us. If you’re scared, you can hide in my arms. I can hold you…”
“Whoosh, whoosh!”
Suddenly, two thick vines lunged at them. They were still near the inn, and Shouzi had only just let his guard down, unaware such a sudden change could occur.
Almost instantly, both were wrapped tightly, Shouzi panicked and tried to call for help, but the vine dragged him away. Wen Xian was pulled in the opposite direction by another vine. He could only watch helplessly. Wen Xian didn’t even get a chance to shout before disappearing from sight.
The surroundings blurred past them. This appeared to be another street in the old town, though it looked no different from the street by the inn. Vines covered everything, or plants had grown several times their normal size, blocking the view. Few animals were visible, and almost no people were around.
The vine dragged Wen Xian into an alley and stopped. She silently commanded, “Release,” and the vine obediently loosened, even twisting to support her from behind so she could stand.
Wen Xian exhaled in relief and couldn’t help but laugh.
Seeing how untrustworthy Shouzi was, she had no intention of staying close to him. She also wanted to test her abilities, so she took the opportunity to command the thickest nearby vines to drag both her and Shouzi apart.
To her delight, it worked. Not only did the vine obey, but along the way, she observed dozens of plant species, and not a single one attacked her.
Recalling her earlier reasoning, if she truly had inherited the power of that giant tree, it meant she, like the tree, would naturally have a certain deterrent effect on most plants.
In that case, she could survive quite well among the mutated plants.
She took several deep breaths, forcing herself to calm her racing heart.
Since the mutated plants no longer attacked her, could she venture out now?
She was desperate to see what the area outside the old town looked like.
Wen Xian made up her mind without hesitation. After stepping out of the alley, she glanced left and right, hoping to spot some landmark, but everything was covered by mutated plants, leaving her with no clue.
Suddenly, a light touch brushed against her leg. Startled, she instinctively jumped back a step and looked down. It was one of the vines she had commanded earlier, gently swaying a slender branch against her leg, like a playful kitten.
Wen Xian’s heart stirred. She tentatively reached out a finger. The tender branch trembled as if excited, then swiftly coiled around her finger, playfully rubbing its tip against her skin.
She felt a tingling sensation and an unfamiliar sense of joy.
Eyes slightly widening, she realized something unexpected. She had always assumed the plants obeyed her because they feared her, but this vine seemed friendly, even eager to approach.
What was going on? Could her earlier assumption be wrong?
Wen Xian hesitated, but the outcome was clear: now wasn’t the time to overthink. She thought for a moment and silently asked, “I want to leave the old town. Can you show me the way?”
She wasn’t sure if the vine could understand her. After all, though mutated, it was still a plant.
To her surprise, as soon as she finished thinking, the branch gently wrapped around her wrist and tugged her in one direction.
Since the cataclysm began, Wen Xian had been shocked almost every day. She could barely keep calm now, but the vine’s almost conscious intelligence still left her speechless.
She observed it carefully. Unlike the other vines, this one had a single main stem with few branches, its leaves a vivid green, long and pointed, about two fingers wide. It looked somewhat familiar, though she couldn’t recall exactly what plant it was.
Once they left the street, they entered a main road. Wen Xian tugged lightly on the vine to pause and looked around. Seeing no immediate danger or people, she let it continue leading her.
Then she witnessed its remarkable intelligence.
It seemed intimately familiar with the old town, never taking a dead-end path, and deliberately avoiding other creatures. Along the way, she heard the sounds of cats and dogs, even human voices, but never actually encountered anyone.
She couldn’t help but marvel at how considerate the vine was.
After turning another street, the space ahead suddenly opened up. In front of her was a square, perfectly rectangular, with no mutated plants. At each of the four entrances, trenches had been dug and fires were burning. Guards were stationed at each entrance, spotting anyone as soon as they appeared.
Wen Xian recognized the place, it was the old town’s central square, where events were usually held.
At the same time, to leave the old town, she would have to pass through this place, no wonder the vine hadn’t led her around it.
“A survivor has appeared.”
Just as Wen Xian hesitated, she saw a young man turn his head and shout inward.
She instinctively commanded the vine to release her hand and duck to the side. The young man was already asking her, “Where did you come from? Are you alone?” His eyes and tone were full of caution.
Wen Xian glanced at the old-fashioned weapon he was holding and didn’t dare step closer. She replied, “I came from the end of the town. I want to go out, can you let me pass?”
“You want to leave?”
At that moment, a gentle voice sounded, coming from the second floor of a nearby two-story building on her right.
Wen Xian looked up. It was a young man with a warm, smiling expression. His hands rested on the window frame, he wore a blue windbreaker, his black hair was cut short, and his features were handsome. His skin had a healthy tan, and he had the look of someone who exercised regularly and lived well, a man you could spot instantly in a crowd.
Wen Xian hesitated, then nodded. “Can you let me through?”
The man nodded. “If you want to pass, we will naturally let you.”
Wen Xian hadn’t even exhaled in relief when he continued, “But where do you plan to go alone? After all, the entire world has turned into this mess. Are you sure a lone woman like you can reach your destination safely?”