Level 1 Little Zombie Doomsday Growth Diary - Chapter 21

Chapter 21

“How much do you miss me?”

Qian Hui struggled to articulate his feelings, finally stammering, “Just… I really, really miss you.”

He was at a loss for words, unable to express the depth of his longing. All he knew was that he missed him desperately.

Nan Tingjin seemed unsatisfied with this answer. His eyes darkened slightly, but he remained silent.

He sat by the tree, his back to the sun, his silhouette casting a cold shadow.

His body temperature was significantly higher than Qian Hui’s, radiating heat through their embrace and palm contact, subtly hinting at a dormant danger.

Overcome with inexplicable nervousness, Qian Hui timidly pushed against him.

Nan Tingjin didn’t budge. Seeing its master’s distress, Soft Vine, fiercely protective, extended its sharp leaves, leaving a shallow blood mark on his neck.

In truth, Soft Vine wasn’t certain it could restrain Nan Tingjin. His Ability grade was too high; even standing still, he exuded an overwhelming pressure that dwarfed lower-grade mutated plants.

The kidnapping plan had proceeded flawlessly so far, without a single hitch. But Carrot and the others were currently asleep.

Mustering its courage, Soft Vine shakily raised its leaves, attempting to threaten him.

Nan Tingjin’s breath hitched slightly as he registered Qian Hui’s subtle resistance. Slowly, he loosened his grip.

The loosened grip on his arms prompted Qian Hui to pull back slightly. After a moment, he cautiously edged closer again.

Having lost his memories and spent six years here, Nan Tingjin was no longer the same man Qian Hui had known.

From their very first meeting, Qian Hui had sensed a difference, though he couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was.

Perhaps… the old Nan Tingjin had been gentler, never asking questions like “What do you like about me?” or “How much do you miss me?”

Qian Hui struggled to understand such questions. Love was simply love, beyond words or reasons.

Or perhaps the current Nan Tingjin was the real him, finally revealed.

Lost in these thoughts, Qian Hui reached out and touched one of Soft Vine’s leaves.

He knew Soft Vine had helped him, and now he saw the faint marks on Nan Tingjin’s neck.

A strange realization washed over him: only now did he truly grasp that Nan Tingjin had been forcibly brought here.

“Does it hurt?” Qian Hui asked softly.

Nan Tingjin glanced at him, replying slowly, “Yes, it does.”

Skeptical, Qian Hui leaned closer to examine the faint scratches.

He considered releasing Nan Tingjin. They were already quite far from the safe zone.

Besides, back in the forest, Nan Tingjin had stayed by his side and even protected him…

Just as Qian Hui was about to recall Soft Vine, Carrot woke up.

It had only slept for a short while, but its energy was fully restored, and it bounded over, full of vigor.

Carrot was eager to switch shifts with Soft Vine and personally guard Nan Tingjin.

Soft Vine deactivated its Armor Skill and retreated to rest on Qian Hui’s wrist.

Carrot squatted beneath a tree, a blade of grass dangling from its mouth, its black bean eyes fixed intently on Nan Tingjin, alert and wary.

Qian Hui reached out and scooped Carrot into his arms, whispering softly, “Do you really need to be so… vigilant?”

Carrot shook its head, insisting on the necessity.

It plucked some weeds from the ground, tied them into a dangling grass knot, and pointed it at Nan Tingjin, indicating that this represented him.

Carrot swung the grass knot around casually, even giving it a couple of playful whacks before tossing it to Qian Hui.

Qian Hui took the grass knot and silently placed it on the ground.

Having played with Carrot often in the past, he understood its meaning perfectly.

He had wanted to see Nan Tingjin, and Carrot had brought him here, ensuring Nan Tingjin was restrained and vulnerable, allowing Qian Hui to do whatever he pleased.

As for when to restore Nan Tingjin’s freedom, Qian Hui decided to wait until he was in a better mood. What if Nan Tingjin went back? It would be awkward to kidnap him a second time if Qian Hui wanted to see him again.

Qian Hui hesitated but ultimately didn’t object to Carrot’s plan.

But now that he had Nan Tingjin here, what should he do?

Soft Vine didn’t rest for long. After consuming the energy booster Qian Hui fed it, it became even more vigorous, stretching its tendrils before swiftly coiling around Nan Tingjin’s neck again with a whoosh.

Carrot went to lie nearby, basking in the sun, while Qian Hui moved closer to Nan Tingjin.

“Do you…” he asked, “remember anything from before?”

Nan Tingjin’s gaze flicked to the Wooden Tail Ring on his hand. “No,” he replied.

“Oh…” Qian Hui’s voice carried a hint of disappointment, but his tone quickly shifted to hopeful. “That’s okay! I can teach you!”

He imagined reliving their past interactions with Nan Tingjin, hoping it might jog his memories.

Nan Tingjin raised his eyebrows slightly, a flicker of interest in his eyes. “Teach me what?”

Qian Hui pondered for a moment, glancing around before pulling Nan Tingjin to his feet and leading him to the sun-drenched meadow on the other side.

The two sat down again. Qian Hui said, “You used to hold me while we basked in the sun.”

As he leaned closer, Nan Tingjin instinctively reached out.

“Don’t move!” Qian Hui ordered.

Since reuniting with the current Nan Tingjin, including just now, he had initiated a hug only three times, but each time felt different from before.

Since this was a lesson, Qian Hui intended to follow his own instincts completely.

Nan Tingjin froze, obediently ceasing his attempt to embrace him.

Satisfied, Qian Hui burrowed into Nan Tingjin’s arms, settling into a comfortable position.

Leaning against the familiar shoulder, he took Nan Tingjin’s hand. “You used to massage my hands too.”

Apart from his silver hair and crimson eyes, Qian Hui showed no other visible signs of Zombification. However, a faint bluish-gray tinge was visible at his joints, most noticeably in his hands.

His pale skin only accentuated the lack of color.

Nan Tingjin complied, gently massaging Qian Hui’s fingertips.

Qian Hui buried his face in the crook of Nan Tingjin’s neck. “You can press a little harder,” he murmured.

Nan Tingjin responded softly, “Alright.”

Qian Hui closed his eyes, as if truly returning to his days in the Plant Little Courtyard.

Having woken up too early that morning, he relaxed and drifted off to sleep.

The nap lasted only about ten minutes. When Qian Hui woke, Nan Tingjin was still massaging his hand.

“That’s enough…” Qian Hui wrapped his arms around Nan Tingjin’s waist, tilting his head back to rest his chin against Nan Tingjin’s chest.

“Did you remember anything?” he asked, his eyes filled with anticipation.

Nan Tingjin paused before replying, “I don’t think so.”

What does “I don’t think so” mean…? Does that mean no?

But this was only their first attempt. Qian Hui hadn’t expected Nan Tingjin to recover his memories so quickly.

“It’s alright. I know you’ve been here too long…” Qian Hui murmured to himself. “We’ll just have to try again.”

He stood up and stepped back. Nan Tingjin asked, “What else?”

“I… I need to think.”

Qian Hui looked at Nan Tingjin, assuming he might be impatient. He said earnestly and with conviction, “We can’t rush this. You have to stay with me.”

When they were together before, they had only stayed in the small cabin in the woods, as if they had never done anything particularly special.

For example, Nan Tingjin had fed him medicinal broth, and he had given Nan Tingjin a ring. But now, they lacked the tools and conditions for such things.

Moreover, Qian Hui’s true selfish desire was for Nan Tingjin to stay by his side, just like before.

With Nan Tingjin tied up, this was the perfect opportunity to make that happen.

Qian Hui felt Carrot was right. If he let Nan Tingjin go free, he definitely wouldn’t be so obedient.

Nan Tingjin remained silent. Qian Hui hugged him again. “Don’t worry,” he said. “If you still can’t remember after a while… I’ll have Xiao Teng untie you.”

As for how long this “while” would last, Qian Hui hadn’t decided yet.

After a moment, Nan Tingjin slowly replied, “Okay.”

He gently wrapped his arm around Qian Hui’s waist, their posture intimate.

Qian Hui didn’t notice Nan Tingjin’s movement. In a good mood, he nuzzled his cheek against Nan Tingjin’s collar.

Carrot rolled over, still secretly observing them.

Seeing that Nan Tingjin was indeed behaving himself and showing no signs of trying to escape, it felt much more reassured.

The sun remained intense. Chili Pepper and Corn had woken up, while Potato was loudly “woo woo”-ing, calling for Qian Hui because it was hungry.

Qian Hui left Nan Tingjin where he was and went to feed the plants, checking their Status one by one.

Corn, emboldened by its full belly, crept back toward Nan Tingjin. Clutching a small corn ball, it pretended to admire the scenery as it slowly approached.

However, the Nan Tingjin who had been so quiet and docile in Qian Hui’s presence now seemed like a completely different person, showing no signs of being restrained.

Mid-grade mutated plants, lacking the strength of special-grade ones but far more perceptive than low-grade ones, possessed the keenest sense of danger. Corn strongly suspected that Nan Tingjin could break free on his own.

It edged closer, testing the waters.

Just as it reached within a meter of Nan Tingjin, he turned his head and looked at it.

Corn abruptly hurled its weapon at him and bolted away.

The corn ball struck Nan Tingjin’s arm and rolled away with a “thud.”

Nan Tingjin glanced at it without reacting.

Hiding behind a tree, Corn watched, growing even more puzzled.

Corn wanted to try again, preparing to mold an even larger corn ball.

Just then, Qian Hui approached, bending down to pick up Corn.

“Time to go,” Qian Hui said, unaware of Corn’s actions. He patted its head. “Be good. You can play again after dinner.”

The Carnivorous Flower had been patrolling the edge of the forest earlier and spotted vehicles driving down the street in the distance. It couldn’t tell if they were humans sent by the safe zone to search for Nan Tingjin.

If so, they would likely search this area as well, and they needed to leave quickly.

However, Qian Hui didn’t plan to flee like he had that morning, unless he detected humans approaching.

He had successfully met Nan Tingjin and temporarily kept him by his side. Now he could focus on other things.

Such as completing the game missions, killing zombies, training the Plant Squad, and continuing to search for traces of his plant friends from the Small Courtyard.

He also couldn’t neglect his attempts to restore Nan Tingjin’s memories, though he knew it was unlikely to yield results in the short term.

Qian Hui couldn’t afford to relax. He still needed to work hard to accumulate credits and buy the Resurrection Bean as soon as possible.

After packing his belongings, Qian Hui slung his backpack over his shoulder and approached Nan Tingjin.

He took Nan Tingjin’s hand. “Let’s go!”

With the Soft Vine’s sharp leaves pressed against the skin of his neck, Nan Tingjin obediently replied, “Okay.”

Thus, Qian Hui led the Plant Squad, along with a bound human leader, in the opposite direction of the safe zone.

Leaving the forested area and entering the city ruins, the Carnivorous Flower expanded its size slightly to carry Qian Hui forward.

Since his movements were restricted, Nan Tingjin received the same treatment, sitting behind Qian Hui.

Qian Hui shifted his backpack to the front, leaving the zipper open, allowing several plants to peek out curiously.

The Carnivorous Flower moved at a moderate pace, navigating the rubble while periodically scanning for wandering zombies.

Bored, Carrot was the first to lose patience. It leaped down and began darting around, occasionally tossing a carrot into the distance before flying back.

“Carrot, don’t wander too far!” Qian Hui warned.

Carrot let out a dismissive “woo” without turning back, casually impaling a low-grade zombie with its carrot thorn.

The ruins in this area were chaotic, showing little evidence of human passage but teeming with low- to mid-grade zombies.

Gradually, Corn, Chili Pepper, and Potato slipped out to join Carrot, following in its footsteps.

The four plants moved ahead as a group, swarming any zombies they encountered. Potato even deliberately used its bombs to lure more zombies toward them.

Unable to restrain them, Qian Hui reluctantly let them have their way.

Compared to the carrots, the Carnivorous Flower was more cautious. It slowed its pace, constantly scanning its surroundings.

Upon detecting human scent, the Carnivorous Flower immediately lowered its head and hid behind a wall.

Meanwhile, Corn and Chili Pepper were chasing a mid-grade zombie, and Carrot sensed something amiss. With a “woo,” it urged them to return at once.

Boom!

Potato’s bomb detonated just then, drowning out Carrot’s warning.

The explosion slowed the zombie, and a corn ball hurled by Corn struck it squarely on the back of the head with a thud.

Simultaneously, Chili Pepper leaped into the air, its hooked tail knocking the zombie to the ground.

As it reached for a rock to finish off the zombie and extract its crystal core, Chili Pepper’s gaze met that of several humans in the distance.

The group appeared to be an Ability User team from a nearby small base, four in total. They had just spotted Chili Pepper and halted, warily observing the scene.

While Chili Pepper hesitated, Corn and Potato rushed up from behind. Corn excitedly stomped on the zombie’s face, repeatedly smashing it with its corn ball.

By the time all three plants finally noticed the human team, the zombie had already ceased moving.

The human team’s strength seemed limited. Upon witnessing the scene, they immediately retreated, putting as much distance between themselves and the plants as possible.

Since the opposing group showed no intention of fighting, Chili Pepper decided to ignore them. It restrained the snarling Corn, quickly dug out the crystal core, and hurried back.

Meanwhile, the human squad, now at a safe distance, remained shaken.

“What was that… I’m not mistaken, right? Three mutated plants?”

“Not large mutated plants, but they looked incredibly ferocious.”

“They were actually traveling together, hunting as a pack…”

This was unprecedented. Even a single mutated plant’s strength was formidable; if they learned to cooperate… The group dared not dwell on the implications.

Their mission had been simple: travel to another base to purchase food, scavenge for usable supplies along the way, and kill a few zombies for their crystal cores.

Encountering such a peculiar and aggressive Plant Squad had forced them to avoid a direct confrontation.

At the same time, beneath the ruins’ wall, Qian Hui pulled out a small towel and carefully wiped down the bodies and leaves of the four plants one by one.

“I told you not to wander too far,” he said sternly, “What if you ran into danger?”

Carrot sensed Qian Hui’s lack of genuine anger and tilted its head, nuzzling his palm.

Qian Hui opened his backpack and let them all climb inside. He stood up and gazed at the sky. “It’s getting late. We need to find a place to rest.”

The Carnivorous Flower dodged quickly, and only three plants were discovered by the humans, suffering no serious harm.

Since they weren’t injured, the humans wisely retreated.

To Qian Hui’s surprise, the Game rewarded him with 10 Prestige Points for the incident.

[ Your Plant Squad is growing stronger, attracting attention. ]

Qian Hui wasn’t sure if this attention was good or bad, but since there was a reward… he figured he shouldn’t worry too much.

He climbed back onto the Carnivorous Flower’s neck and led all the plants away.

For three consecutive days, the Carnivorous Flower traversed the city ruins, eventually reaching an unfamiliar forest.

During this time, the Plant Squad advanced during the day and rested at night. Carrot occasionally wandered off alone, searching for higher-grade zombies.

Unfortunately, it could only find mid-grade ones. Qian Hui’s Main Mission was nearing completion; he needed to kill just two more mid-grade zombies to reach thirty.

All the crystal cores they obtained were distributed among the main damage dealers. Combined with Skill Points Qian Hui purchased, Corn and Potato’s Loyalty soared, quickly surpassing 60%.

Money Tree remained aloof from these activities, its Loyalty steadily increasing at its own pace. Only Mimosa lagged behind.

Timid by nature, Mimosa spent most of its time hiding in Qian Hui’s sleeve, rarely showing itself.

Qian Hui used Prestige Points to buy Mimosa’s strategy guide, learning that it was highly sensitive and craved attention. He often whispered to it in his sleeve, trying to reassure it.

Despite his efforts, Mimosa’s Loyalty remained stuck at 30%.

Qian Hui didn’t push it, continuing to care for it patiently.

In addition to these tasks, Qian Hui made time each day to quietly spend time with Nan Tingjin.

During the warmest part of the afternoon, Qian Hui would nap in Nan Tingjin’s arms, letting him massage his hands.

However… the other day, when Nan Tingjin asked if there was anything else he wanted to learn, Qian Hui had said he needed to think about it. He still hadn’t come up with anything.

He simply had Nan Tingjin hold him in the sun and massage his finger joints.

Or occasionally, he would hug Nan Tingjin and ask if he had remembered anything.

The fourth night arrived quickly. Qian Hui found a small lake in the forest.

The lake water was crystal clear. Little Cabbage had grown a new shell, its leaves unfurling to form a massive cabbage bowl.

Carnivorous Flower helped fill the bowl with lake water, creating a makeshift bathtub.

The water was cold, but Qian Hui wasn’t bothered by the chill. He soaked in it for a long time, washing his hair while he was at it.

When he emerged, Chili Pepper wrapped several chili pepper seeds in clean leaves. The leaves steamed, gently drying Qian Hui’s damp hair.

His old clothes were already torn in several places, so Qian Hui bought a new set and changed under a tree.

The plants, each holding leaves and chili pepper seeds, bustled around him, attending to his needs.

Qian Hui hadn’t forgotten Nan Tingjin. He asked Carnivorous Flower to prepare a bowl of water for him as well.

Though reluctant, Carnivorous Flower obeyed, refilling the cabbage bowl with lake water.

After eating a few biscuits and waiting for his hair to dry, Qian Hui got up and ran to the lake’s edge.

Nan Tingjin was still in the cabbage bowl, a slender vine coiled around his neck.

Taller than before, he sat in the bowl with the water only reaching his chest.

Qian Hui leaned over the edge of the bowl and asked, “Should I buy you some new clothes?”

Nan Tingjin leaned closer and replied, “Alright.”

Qian Hui opened the Shop and began browsing. “What size would fit you best…”

He noticed Nan Tingjin’s discarded clothes nearby, picked them up, and held them against himself to gauge the size before selecting a suitable one.

Qian Hui even chose clothes similar to Nan Tingjin’s previous style, neatly arranging them on the grass along with a thoughtfully prepared towel.

Having finished all this, he still lingered, remaining perched by the bowl’s edge, waiting.

Nan Tingjin remained silent. After washing himself, he stepped directly out of the bowl.

He dried himself and dressed in front of Qian Hui without the slightest hesitation.

Qian Hui watched with innocent curiosity, seemingly unfazed by the display.

Once Nan Tingjin was dressed, Qian Hui approached and wrapped his arms around him.

His eyes sparkled with satisfaction at Nan Tingjin’s appearance.

“Xiao Jin,” Qian Hui said, gently touching his cheek, “do you remember now?”

Nan Tingjin didn’t answer immediately. Qian Hui couldn’t help but yawn.

He rubbed his eyes as Nan Tingjin asked, “Tired?”

Qian Hui nodded with a soft “Mmm.” Nan Tingjin scooped him up by the waist and carried him toward the Cabbage Shell beneath the tree.

After several days together, Nan Tingjin had become completely compliant with Qian Hui’s wishes. He would only embrace Qian Hui when asked, remaining obedient and well-behaved.

Qian Hui grew increasingly relaxed, almost forgetting that Nan Tingjin had been brought here against his will. At times, he felt as if Nan Tingjin had reverted to his former self, just without his memories.

When Nan Tingjin carried Qian Hui back to the tree, Qian Hui didn’t resist. He was too sleepy and his mind felt sluggish.

A lamp glowed inside the Cabbage Shell. Little Cabbage and Money Tree lay nestled together, fast asleep. Carnivorous Flower patrolled nearby, while several other plants played in the lake.

Nan Tingjin gently set Qian Hui down by the leafy entrance and brushed aside his slightly disheveled bangs.

In a rare moment of warmth, Qian Hui hugged Nan Tingjin and tilted his head up, saying, “Xiao Jin, good night.”

The Cabbage Shell was too small for Nan Tingjin to sleep inside, so he slept outside while Carnivorous Flower and Carrot took turns keeping watch.

Nan Tingjin murmured in response but didn’t move to leave. He leaned down and whispered, “Did we… ever kiss before?”

Qian Hui yawned again, answering drowsily, “Yes, we did…”

But he didn’t seem inclined to kiss Nan Tingjin now. Just then, Carnivorous Flower returned from its patrol, ready to rest.

Qian Hui released Nan Tingjin, picked up Carnivorous Flower, and crawled into the Cabbage Shell.

Some plants hadn’t returned yet, so the door was closed slightly, leaving a narrow gap.

Nan Tingjin stood outside, watching Qian Hui take off his coat and lie down. Through the gap, Qian Hui reached out to hold his hand and whispered, “Good night.”

Meanwhile, Carrot hung from a suspended thorn, intently watching the lake water, hoping to catch a fish.

Suddenly, it lifted its head, its nose twitching slightly, as if it had detected the scent of a high-grade zombie nearby.

It was nighttime—why was a zombie still active instead of hibernating?

Tonight, Carrot was on night watch, responsible for ensuring the area’s safety. It hurled another thorn, following the scent.

As it crossed the lake, the scent rapidly faded. The high-grade zombie was moving away, apparently just passing through.

Carrot glanced back at the Cabbage Shell, where Qian Hui was sleeping, and decided to let it go for now.

It returned, urging Corn and Potato to go back to sleep, then circled Nan Tingjin once more.

At the same time, under the pitch-black night sky, a high-grade zombie moved swiftly through the forest.

Its movements were rapid. In an instant, it left the woods, crossed the abandoned streets, and entered a low-rise building.

The low building had collapsed by more than half, nearly beyond repair. Zombies clawed through the debris, squeezing through gaps in the walls and burrowing downward until they reached a basement.

The basement was vast and had clearly been hastily cleared. Several zombies huddled in the center.

Despite being a zombie habitat buried deep underground, the air carried only a faint, earthy scent, rather than the usual stench. Instead, there was a subtle, refreshing fragrance of vegetation.

The high-grade zombie circled the basement, growling menacingly at a particular corner before settling down in a chosen spot.

In that corner, several bent steel rods formed a narrow enclosure. Inside, a Sunflower radiated a soft, gentle light.