Level 1 Little Zombie Doomsday Growth Diary - Chapter 44

Chapter 44

Potato clutched its small backpack protectively and circled Big Cherry completely.

It reached out to pat Big Cherry’s belly twice, then leaned in close to listen intently.

Qian Hui noticed the commotion between the two plants and turned to look. “What’s wrong?”

Potato immediately scurried over to Qian Hui, tugged on his sleeve, and let out a series of “woo woo” sounds. It then pointed accusingly at Big Cherry, claiming it had stolen and eaten its landmine.

Fortunately, the candy in its backpack was still intact. Otherwise, Potato would have given Big Cherry a severe beating.

Big Cherry hopped over and nestled beside Qian Hui, its expression innocent and guileless.

It was behaving slightly more docile now, but its attention remained fixed on Potato, clearly still hungry.

The newly arrived plants stood nearby, including Sunflower. Qian Hui understood Potato’s complaint.

He pondered for a moment, piecing together the situation.

After reaching the forest, Chili Pepper had told Qian Hui that the Plant Squad had been fortunate. A Cherry had directly swallowed a Nuclear Bomb, preventing further injuries to the team.

However, that Cherry had been restless on the journey, refusing to eat normal food, and required close observation.

Capable of swallowing a Nuclear Bomb, rejecting regular food, and now devouring Potato’s landmine…

This was likely Cherry’s unique ability, but Qian Hui’s Loyalty wasn’t high enough to see more specific details.

He set down the plant he was carrying and picked up Cherry.

The Big Cherry was quite heavy, its shell slightly dull, with several scars that looked like marks from being bound.

Qian Hui patted its head and asked, “Have you been hungry for a long time?”

Cherry let out a soft “woo” and shook the stem at the center of its head.

Qian Hui instructed Potato to make more landmines and bombs—Cherry needed to eat them.

Potato wasn’t familiar with Cherry, but it obeyed Qian Hui’s orders without question, obediently shaping two larger bombs and handing them over.

For Potato, this only consumed a small amount of energy, with no significant impact.

Qian Hui fed the bombs to Cherry, while Potato watched from the side and proactively shaped several more.

Cherry devoured them all in one go, “wooing” between bites and even taking the time to nuzzle Qian Hui’s palm.

The people at Sky Base probably hadn’t discovered this ability, otherwise they would have been more careful when using nuclear bombs. Qian Hui wondered how long Cherry had been starving.

Potato gradually realized that Cherry actually ate bombs!

Its gaze toward the Big Cherry became nuanced, and it began shaping other types of explosives.

Cherry accepted everything without hesitation: bombs and landmines of various sizes, even potato-shaped missiles.

Watching Big Cherry devour everything, Potato crossed its arms and huffed twice, feeling a sense of accomplishment for the first time from feeding a poor little plant.

Even though Big Cherry was high-grade, with a higher grade and larger size than Potato.

Potato squeezed out one last bomb and beckoned Big Cherry to follow it. It wanted to show Corn and the others, who were resting by the lake, how Cherry ate the bombs.

Big Cherry licked its lips and glanced at Qian Hui.

Qian Hui set it down in the grass. “Go play,” he said.

Big Cherry happily followed Potato, while Starfruit immediately jumped back into Qian Hui’s arms, with Dragon Fruit close behind.

A nearby Cactus wanted to approach, but its spines were too sharp. Having been forced to use its attack skills too many times recently, it struggled to retract them properly. Earlier, Qian Hui had only patted its head.

Afraid of hurting Qian Hui and instinctively fearing punishment or rejection, Cactus kept its distance from the other plants.

Qian Hui, who had been closely observing the newly joined plants, keenly sensed Cactus’s distress.

After a moment’s thought, he opened the Game Shop and bought Cactus a helmet.

Cactus’s Loyalty was currently only 10%. The Game prompted him once to confirm the purchase, and Qian Hui selected “Yes.”

Each helmet was custom-made for each plant, sturdy yet lightweight, like a small suit of iron armor.

Qian Hui called Cactus over and helped it “put on” the helmet.

Cactus was slightly taller than an adult’s palm, with a flat, oval body. Its slender legs, resembling intertwined roots, and equally delicate hands were smooth and thornless.

After a moment’s hesitation, it cautiously approached. When Qian Hui reached out with the helmet, Cactus closed its eyes and froze, too afraid to move.

Qian Hui gently placed the helmet on Cactus’s head, adjusted the fit, and secured the buckle beneath its chin.

A square opening on the side of the helmet revealed Cactus’s eyes and mouth, while two small holes at the edges were perfectly positioned for its hands.

Sensing the foreign object on its body, Cactus opened its eyes and tentatively reached out to touch the cool metal shell.

Now I don’t have to worry about getting pricked, Qian Hui thought, picking up Cactus and squeezing its slightly broad palm. “All done.”

Still getting used to the helmet, Cactus shifted its body. The helmet was intentionally made slightly larger, with a layer of padding inside to prevent the thorns from scraping against the metal.

Initially tense, Cactus gradually relaxed, clutching Qian Hui’s sleeve with a mixture of awe and gratitude.

With the helmet, Cactus’s Loyalty immediately surged to 40%.

As a mid-grade mutated plant specializing in attack, it perfectly met the requirements for the Side Mission.

Qian Hui felt a quiet joy as he drew closer to Little Mushroom’s resurrection. He yawned, cradling the plants in his arms.

During the journey, the plants could rest inside the Carnivorous Flower’s mouth, but Qian Hui hadn’t slept a wink all night. Now, he was utterly exhausted.

The sky was already bright. Qian Hui ate a quick biscuit and replenished his backpack with enough food.

Instead of taking out the Cabbage Shell, he simply lay down in the soft, dry grass.

Closing his eyes, Qian Hui quickly drifted off to sleep.

The newly arrived plants gathered around him, each finding a spot to lie down. The bolder ones ventured a few steps away to explore their surroundings.

Soon, Chili Pepper and Little Bamboo Shoot joined them to sleep.

Noticing that Qian Hui’s arms were already full, Chili Pepper frowned and scanned the group.

Dragon Fruit and Starfruit silently shifted to the side, making room for it.

Qian Hui slept soundly until after two in the afternoon, when hunger finally woke him.

He groggily opened his eyes to find himself surrounded by plants, several even nestled in his arms. Carrot and Durian had returned sometime during his sleep, and Carnivorous Flower now stood guard, patrolling the perimeter.

Looking at the plants scattered across the ground, Qian Hui felt a strange sense of déjà vu, as if he were back in the Plant Little Courtyard.

He sat up, dazed for a moment, before eating something to regain his strength.

As soon as Qian Hui woke, the plants began stirring as well.

Corn, perched on his leg, tilted its head back and opened its mouth, instinctively begging for food. Qian Hui fed it half a piece of dried meat.

After feeding all the plants, Little Cabbage seized the opportunity of the good weather to bring out the Cabbage Bowl for Qian Hui to bathe in.

The other plants obediently cleaned themselves, diving straight into the lake.

The dozen or so newly arrived plants followed Little Cabbage and Apple into the water.

The plants bathed quickly, swimming a few laps in the lake. Watermelon and Pumpkin weren’t strong swimmers, and Cactus, wearing its helmet, found it difficult to maneuver. Soft Vine helped by wrapping around the three plants to prevent them from accidentally drowning.

Two large towels were spread out on the shore. After bathing, the plants would roll around on the towels to dry off.

Qian Hui took longer to bathe. By the time he finished changing, Chili Pepper was drying his hair, and the rest of the plants had already begun playing in the forest.

Little Apple and Little Succulent, accompanied by their newly joined plant companions, went for a stroll nearby. They returned with a few tiny wild berries, hoping to give them to Qian Hui.

Pumpkin sat quietly beneath a tree, a small Mimosa leaf pressed against its head. The Mimosa hadn’t yet woken up, so Pumpkin remained perfectly still.

Potato and Big Cherry had become fast friends. Potato sat atop Big Cherry’s head, its arms wrapped around the stem. Big Cherry bounced along like a fruity steed, carrying Potato through the forest.

Corn, eager to join the fun, chased after them.

But Big Cherry, having been personally fed by Potato, naturally favored it. Potato, not yet satisfied with the game, patted Big Cherry’s head, urging it to jump faster.

Big Cherry mustered all its strength, quickly leaving Corn in the dust.

Potato chuckled gleefully, but soon heard another commotion behind it. Turning around, it saw Corn perched atop Nut’s head!

Nut had grown slightly larger and was also bouncing along. However, lacking a stem, Corn nearly tumbled off.

Nut’s jumps grew higher, and Corn frantically clung on, its face pale with terror. “Woo woo…”

After two wild circuits, Nut finally stopped. Corn shakily dismounted, vowing never to play that game again.

Under a tree on the other side, Cabbage and Little Cabbage were together. Little Cabbage gently massaged Cabbage’s arm, asking if it had rested well.

With so many new plants arriving, Little Cabbage had been busy helping care for them and hadn’t had time to spend with Cabbage.

Cabbage nodded, indicating it had rested well. Grabbing a twig, it began scratching calculations on the ground, tallying how many human ability users it had taken down the previous night.

After several attempts, it seemed Cabbage had still taken down fewer than Carrot… but Carrot’s group attacks naturally gave it an advantage.

Little Cabbage sat nearby, listening to Cabbage recount the battle. It couldn’t resist pulling out the two tiny boxing gloves it had tucked inside its Cabbage Shell.

Little Cabbage had learned this trick from Little Bamboo Shoot. After putting on the gloves, it held them up for Cabbage to see, feeling a bit nervous that Cabbage might laugh.

The leaf-made gloves were so small that Cabbage had to lean in close to see them clearly. Understanding dawned.

Cabbage thumped its chest. “Woo!”

Want to learn to box? I’ll teach you!

Little Cabbage’s eyes widened, overwhelmed with joy.

Soon, they moved to a more spacious area under another tree.

The two plants stood facing each other, the size difference making the demonstration clearer.

Cabbage threw a punch, striking a pose. Little Cabbage immediately mimicked the move, though its left and right were reversed. This didn’t seem to matter.

Gradually, Cabbage’s speed increased, and Little Cabbage’s speed followed suit. It didn’t matter if they made mistakes; what mattered was the momentum.

Cabbage used a tree trunk as a punching bag, while Little Cabbage used the branches of a shrub, successfully breaking three of them.

Finally, the leaf gloves wore out. Little Cabbage immediately replaced them with a fresh pair, confidently surveying its surroundings.

It wanted to test its skills on another plant and first targeted a nearby Nut, choosing it for its toughness and resilience to pain.

Cabbage encouraged from the sidelines, “Woo!”

Little Cabbage mustered its courage, activated its invisibility, and dashed forward.

Its body vanished, leaving only two floating gloves. It slipped behind the Nut, threw a punch, and hastily retreated.

Little Cabbage hid behind a tree, peeking out to observe. The Nut remained motionless, seemingly asleep and unaware of the attack.

In truth, the Nut had sensed Little Cabbage’s approach but, unsure of its intentions, had simply closed its eyes, too lazy to move.

Frustrated by the lack of feedback from its practice punch, Little Cabbage refused to give up. After scanning the area, it spotted Corn snacking nearby.

Waiting for its invisibility skill to recharge, Little Cabbage activated it again and charged forward.

Corn, engrossed in munching on a cracker, suddenly heard hurried footsteps approaching.

It turned its head and saw two small, round objects inexplicably flying away. Confused, it wiped its mouth and murmured, “Woo?”

Who poked it?

Corn vaguely smelled Little Cabbage’s scent but paid no attention, continuing to munch on its biscuit.

Behind a tree, Little Cabbage took off its boxing gloves and hugged them to its chest, feeling disheartened by its perceived weakness.

Cabbage comforted it, reminding it that it had only been training for a day and was already quite skilled—at least Little Cabbage could make its own boxing gloves!

Hearing this, Little Cabbage brightened up. It tucked the gloves back into its shell and followed Cabbage to play elsewhere.

In another corner, Durian crouched in the grass, watching Cabbage and Little Cabbage run off together.

It felt a pang of envy. Though Cabbage and Little Cabbage were different sizes, they looked remarkably similar, almost like members of the same species.

But its own Durian companion hadn’t transformed back in ages.

Durian looked up at Carrot, who was sitting on a tree branch, letting the breeze ruffle its leaves. Its gaze was filled with melancholy.

By the lake, Chili Pepper helped Qian Hui dry his hair.

After his bath, the dye had completely washed out, restoring his hair to its original color.

Several newly arrived plants sunbathing nearby noticed the change in his appearance and couldn’t resist approaching for a closer look.

Eggplant circled Qian Hui, its eyes wide and vacant.

Silver hair and crimson eyes… these were the hallmarks of zombification!

Eggplant panicked and bolted, but after only a few steps, it realized it was the only one reacting so dramatically. The other plants remained rooted in place.

It scratched its head and slowly walked back, its gaze still blank.

Qian Hui chuckled and patted its head. “Don’t worry, I won’t eat you.”

After another nap, it seemed none of the newly joined plants intended to leave, preferring to stay by Qian Hui’s side.

This was likely due to Sunflower and Mimosa. The soothing presence of a special-grade healing mutant plant had greatly alleviated their fear and anxiety. Moreover, Mimosa, being well-cared for by Qian Hui, served as reassurance.

Qian Hui opened the Encyclopedia and checked around. The new plants’ Loyalty had increased, but it had only been less than a day, not enough to complete the Side Mission requirements.

After a moment’s thought, he got up to find Nan Tingjin.

Nan Tingjin was resting alone under a tree. His aura was completely different from Qian Hui’s gentle warmth, initially frightening the new plants.

Later, seeing that Chili Pepper and the others showed no fear—even low-grade plants like Little Cabbage remained unfazed—they grudgingly accepted him, though they still kept their distance.

Only Nut stayed close, standing quietly nearby, as if secretly guarding against him.

Qian Hui sat down beside Nan Tingjin under the tree. “Xiao Jin…”

“About the commission you mentioned last time,” Qian Hui said proactively, “when should I pay you?”

Qian Hui wanted to arrange all his credits in advance, preparing thoroughly to purchase the Resurrection Bean.

The Carnivorous Flower still didn’t know that Qian Hui had almost enough credits… just a little bit more. Once Little Mushroom was successfully revived, it would be overjoyed.

Nan Tingjin looked at Qian Hui, his gaze sweeping over the faint dark circles beneath his eyes.

Apart from his hair and eye color, Qian Hui increasingly resembled a human. His skin had gained a healthy glow compared to when they first met, and his fatigue was now more noticeable.

He hadn’t slept all night and had only managed a nap during the day, still not fully recovered.

“I’m not in a hurry,” Nan Tingjin said slowly. “You can pay me when it’s convenient.”

Qian Hui was quite pleased. “Really?”

He leaned closer, mumbling, “Then I’ll owe you for now…”

Since Nan Tingjin wasn’t pressing for payment, Qian Hui could buy the Resurrection Bean first and find a way to repay him later.

Actually, Qian Hui also wanted to ask exactly how much the commission would be.

Ever since he had that dream, recalling some memories and telling Nan Tingjin that he wasn’t his boyfriend, the matter seemed to have been dropped.

Nan Tingjin still hugged him and kissed him, but never mentioned the boyfriend thing again.

Yet Qian Hui felt even more awkward bringing it up, as if he were trying to use their relationship to get a discount on the commission.

Qian Hui secretly glanced at Nan Tingjin, hesitating to speak.

After silently struggling for a while, he got up and left.

The afternoon passed quickly as Qian Hui kept the plants company. Feeling drowsy later, he took another nap.

When he woke again, dusk was approaching. Carrot and Carnivorous Flower had decided to spend another night resting in the forest.

The area was safe, allowing Qian Hui to bond further with the new plants and increase their Loyalty. Tomorrow, they would search the surrounding area for zombies to earn some credits.

With so many new plants joining the group and the forest being so vast, Qian Hui worried about losing track of them. He divided the thirteen plants into groups, assigning different plants to oversee each group.

Big Cherry and Potato, now inseparable, stayed together with Corn.

Four-Leaf Clover, Cactus, Eggplant, Watermelon, and Pumpkin were designated as damage dealers. Among them, Four-Leaf Clover was a high-grade mutant plant and was entrusted to Carrot and Cabbage.

Pomegranate, Starfruit, and Dragon Fruit, all mid-grade damage dealers, were assigned to Chili Pepper and Little Bamboo Shoot.

Pothos and Tulip, both high-grade mutant plants specializing in support, were paired with Sunflower and Money Tree.

The remaining Brittle Peach and Morning Glory were left under the care of Little Cabbage and Apple.

Once all assignments were made, Qian Hui reminded them not to wander off alone. If any problems arose, they should contact their assigned overseer or inform him directly.

The plants obediently responded, lining up to receive their dinner from Qian Hui before departing with their respective “group leaders.”

Soft Vine was last in line. After digesting its biscuit with its leaf, it coiled around Qian Hui’s wrist.

Counting the plants, Qian Hui realized one was missing. He scanned the surroundings and spotted Durian alone beneath a tree.

Durian had curled up, rolling back and forth against the trunk, bouncing off each time.

Qian Hui approached, crouched down, and gently stopped Durian’s movements, lifting it into his arms. “Why aren’t you going over? Aren’t you hungry?”

Durian looked at him and shook its head, indicating it didn’t want to eat.

Noticing Durian’s listlessness, Qian Hui quickly checked it over. “Are you feeling unwell?” he asked, frowning.

Durian shook its head again, then hesitated, glancing at Carrot before looking at Cabbage and Little Cabbage.

All the plants were nearby, eating dinner, and with so many new arrivals… none of them resembled Durian.

Even Watermelon and Pumpkin looked somewhat alike, as did Morning Glory and Soft Vine.

Though Cactus had thorns, it was entirely different from Durian.

Qian Hui followed Durian’s gaze, initially thinking it might have quarreled with Carrot. Then he remembered Durian’s strategy guide, which mentioned its deep longing for others of its kind.

Durian had initially joined the Plant Squad because Carrot had used disguise medicine.

But if that was the real reason, where would it find another Durian?

Qian Hui held Durian, noticing its unhappiness and feeling a pang of sympathy. Suddenly remembering something, he opened the Prestige Point Shop.

Disguise medicine!

The two bottles he’d received last time were rewards from a Hidden Mission. Buying a bottle directly from the Shop cost only 5 Prestige Points.

He needed to save his credits for the Resurrection Bean, and he wouldn’t be able to gather the extra 100,000 credits and 5,000 Prestige Points needed to establish a base anytime soon. He could use some now.

Qian Hui set Durian down and gave it a bag of cookies. “Eat something… I’ll go check over there and come back later.”

Durian assumed he was busy tending to other plants and silently accepted the cookies.

Carrot now had new followers, most of whom were high-grade plants and likely too busy to pay attention to Durian.

Durian sat with its back to the other plants, eating the cookies alone.

It was actually very hungry and devoured half the bag in one go. Then it heard a rustling in the grass behind it.

Not bothering to check who it was, Durian continued eating, when suddenly it caught a glimpse of a familiar yellow flash out of the corner of its eye.

It paused, turning its head to see a “Durian” hiding behind a tree, only half its head peeking out.

Thud. The cookie fell from Durian’s hand.

Thinking it was hallucinating, Durian closed its eyes, shook its head, and opened them again.

The “Durian” by the tree had multiplied into two!

Durian was stunned when something poked the back of its head.

Slowly turning around, it saw another “Durian” standing behind it.

The “Durian” crossed its arms and chuckled twice.

Durian stood frozen for a full half-minute before leaning in to sniff.

Wait, why does this Durian smell like Potato…?

Immediately afterward, a Bamboo Shoot-Flavored Durian appeared behind the Potato-Flavored Durian.

The two Durians that had been hiding behind the tree earlier also rushed over—one Corn-Flavored and the other Chili Pepper-Flavored.

Apart from their scents, they all looked exactly like Durian, making them indistinguishable by appearance alone.

Surrounded by four “Durians,” Durian felt both overwhelmed and suddenly blessed.

Isn’t this the scene I’ve dreamed of so many times…?

Just then, more “Durians” came running—Cabbage-Flavored, Nut-Flavored, Little Cabbage-Flavored…

The Carnivorous Flower was on patrol, while Sunflower and Apple were tending to the new plants. Nearly all the idle plants had drunk the disguise medicine.

Little Cabbage was the slowest of the group. Its sudden growth spurt left it dizzy and disoriented, its eyes wide as it searched for the Cabbage-Flavored Durian.

As dusk settled, pre-placed Cabbage Lamps illuminated the grassy areas, while Sunflower’s radiant glow gradually expanded its reach.

Finally, the eighth “Durian” appeared. Durian immediately recognized it as Carrot in disguise.

Including itself, there were now nine!

Durian rushed forward excitedly, embracing the Carrot-Flavored Durian. “Woo woo woo!”

The Carrot-Flavored Durian patted Durian’s head and waved. “Woo!”

Let’s go! Let’s explore the area!

And so, the nine identical Durians set off together, planning to catch fish by the lake or find any unfamiliar plants daring to approach, which they could bring back to Qian Hui to add to his Encyclopedia.

The large group made quite a spectacle as they roamed the lakeside. When fishing proved fruitless, they began playing “Durian Bumper Cars,” crashing into each other.

Nut-Flavored Durian, the strongest of the group, remained silent throughout, nearly sending Little Cabbage-Flavored Durian flying.

Cabbage-Flavored Durian quickly intervened, shielding Little Cabbage-Flavored Durian behind it.

Watching them play from afar, Qian Hui felt his spirits lift as he saw all the Durians so happy.

Qian Hui had originally considered using the disguise medicine himself, but he’d never experienced what it felt like to transform into a plant. Since everyone else was going to keep Durian company, he decided to stay behind with Sunflower.

The medicine lasted for two hours, giving them plenty of time to enjoy themselves.

Qian Hui watched for a while longer, feeding Cactus in his arms.

The new plants around him were all behaving themselves. He casually opened the Encyclopedia and noticed that Cactus’s Loyalty had already reached 50%.

If another mid-grade mutated plant’s Loyalty reached 50%, he could redeem a reward of 40,000 credits!

Qian Hui quickly flipped through the pages. Starfruit and Pumpkin both had Loyalty levels of 35%, and he felt they would reach 50% soon.

Secretly pleased, he opened the Shop and glanced at the Resurrection Bean several times. Just then, he heard Nan Tingjin’s voice from behind him: “Qian Hui.”

Qian Hui put down Cactus and stood up to go over.

“You were looking for me?” he asked, sitting down next to Nan Tingjin. The joy from moments ago still lingered in his eyes, making his beautiful crimson pupils glow faintly.

Nan Tingjin turned to look at him, reaching out to touch his cheek. “So happy?”

Qian Hui mumbled in agreement, unable to resist telling Nan Tingjin, “Because… because Xiao Fen will be back soon.”

He lowered his voice and whispered, “Xiao Zi and Carrot don’t know yet.”

Nan Tingjin likely guessed part of the reason but didn’t ask further.

He stared at Qian Hui for a moment before suddenly leaning closer.

Nan Tingjin’s movements were slightly forceful as he pressed his hand against Qian Hui’s lower back and pulled him into his lap.

Caught off guard, Qian Hui found himself sitting on Nan Tingjin’s lap, their posture becoming intimately close.

Immediately afterward, the surrounding trees began to move slowly.

Many more trees in the distance gradually shifted closer, aligning themselves tightly together. Their twisted branches intertwined, gradually forming a small “wooden cabin.”

Moonlight streamed through the gaps in the overhead branches. Qian Hui looked around, both astonished and curious.

So Nan Tingjin’s ability can do this too…

He tried to get up for a closer look, but Nan Tingjin held him firmly in his arms, preventing him from moving.

Confused, Qian Hui looked at him blankly. “Xiao Jin?”

Nan Tingjin responded slowly, leaning in to kiss his cheek.

At that moment, Qian Hui realized they were alone in the wooden cabin. Soft Vine, who had been helping care for the new plants, had left his side.

This might be one of the rare moments of solitude they had shared in a long time.

Qian Hui didn’t resist. Sensing a shift in Nan Tingjin’s mood, he asked softly, “What’s wrong…?”

Nan Tingjin gripped Qian Hui’s chin and kissed him deeply again.

“Now,” he murmured, “tell me properly—who is your boyfriend?”