How to Raise a Baby in an Apocalypse - Chapter 411

At the end of the national highway, just before the copper-skinned zombies arrive, a group of mutant rats appears out of nowhere. Their reproductive rate is incredibly fast. A huge female rat, about the size of a tiger, carries hundreds of baby rats in her belly.

These little rats eat everything. They climb trees to eat leaves and crawl underground to eat roots. They grow rapidly—like balloons inflating in no time.

However, it seems that some people or factors in Xiangcheng work hard to control these mutant rats. Their reproduction is suppressed, and the rats haven’t spread widely in the city. But when Tang Jianjun and his team intervene, the force keeping the rat population under control can no longer manage it.

So just as An Ran and the others enter Xiangcheng, the mutant rat infestation explodes.

Zhan Lian and his group are busy killing rats at the mall’s main entrance. There are countless rats and abundant food. An Ran closes the mall’s side door, drags Doll’s rocking car inside a bit, then stands behind the glass door, watching as a few rats gradually creep outside.

The fat thornball, being a mutant plant, doesn’t need An Ran’s control. It instinctively extends its sharp spikes, stabbing into the rats’ flesh. Its spikes have grown even harder—hard enough that even though the rats’ fur and skin are tough, encountering the thornball is like fruit bumping into a hedgehog—one hit, and they get stuck and can’t escape.

But the mutant rats are extremely fast. Though the fat thornball can move on its own, as a plant it is naturally rooted to the ground and too lazy to rise up and chase after the swift rats.

An Ran’s ability doesn’t seem to extend to controlling ordinary plants in Xiangcheng. She can only keep feeding ‘candy’ to the fat thornball and draws the saber from her waist, waiting for the little rats to break through the glass door—then she will fight them to the death.

Zhao Ru hurries downstairs, followed by Xu Li’er. As Zhao Ru reaches An Ran’s side, An Ran shouts, “Bring something heavy over to block the side door first!”

If the mutant rats can’t get in, the fat thornball can eat more and grow faster. Once it grows bigger, it can defend the side door even if more rats come.

Zhao Ru nods and looks around, searching for something useful.

Xu Li’er stands nearby, anxious. “How can we defend this? Call the men at the main gate.”

“They’re busy. Don’t drag them down.” An Ran replies.

She glances at Xu Li’er, then toward the main gate where Zhan Lian and his men fight the main wave of rats. The cat-sized rats surge like a tide, filling the air with squeaks.

Who can spare anyone to defend the side door now? It’s better not to divide Zhan Lian’s forces. As long as the fat thornball has some time, An Ran believes it can hold the small side door.

Xu Li’er glares at An Ran, her voice sharp with anger. “At a time like this, what do you think you’re doing? Trying to show me what it means to be a strong mother? If this is where you want to put your so-called ‘strength,’ then you’re just being self-righteous. I’ve never seen a woman so pathetic and delusional. Your values are totally screwed up!”