Level 1 Little Zombie Doomsday Growth Diary - Chapter 71

Chapter 71

One wooden chip was nothing, but a barrage of them hurled at Lettuce looked menacing.

Lettuce quickly stabilized the Flyer and ascended to evade the wooden chip assault.

What’s going on?!

Lettuce instructed Rose to wait for it outside the forest, then opened the Flyer’s transparent canopy and leaped out.

Mid-air, it pulled out a leaf, crumpled it into a ball, and blew into it, swiftly creating a leaf ball.

The leaf ball cushioned Lettuce’s fall. It landed on the tree canopy, ran a few steps, and dove into the forest.

Rose, deeply worried, obediently turned the Flyer around and headed toward the ruins outside the forest.

Inside the forest, Lettuce landed steadily, its senses on high alert.

It had initially suspected Timothy of throwing the wooden chips, but the mixed scents in the air suggested the presence of multiple plants, not just one.

The forest was quiet. Most of the scattered chips had been thrown away, with only a few remaining scattered among the weeds.

Lettuce cautiously stepped forward. Suddenly, rustling sounds erupted from all directions.

Daisy sprang from the undergrowth, brandishing a sharpened thorn, with Mint Grass at its side.

More plants emerged in succession: Ivy, Sunflower, Baby’s-breath, Azalea…

Over a dozen plants had surrounded Lettuce, most of them flowering varieties, creating a vibrant, multicolored spectacle at first glance.

The plants exuded an air of vigilance, as if poised to attack at any moment, with Lettuce as the perceived intruder.

Lettuce scratched its face, wanting to introduce itself. “Umm…”

Just then, another familiar figure appeared in the distance.

Lettuce’s eyes lit up, and it waved enthusiastically. “Woo!”

The figure approached at a leisurely pace, revealing itself to be a uniquely shaped Timothy.

Its rounded body was enveloped in layers of leaves, resembling a palm-sized green sphere. It wore a wide pink headscarf with two pointed leaf tips sticking up.

Below, several shorter leaves served as stubby arms and legs, while a fluffy pink “tail” arched behind it.

Upon seeing Timothy, the surrounding plants retreated slightly.

Lettuce sensed an ominous feeling and greeted Timothy again. “Woo…”

It tried to explain its purpose for being there, but Timothy ignored it, instead bending down to pick up a wooden chip from the ground.

After examining the characters on the chip, Timothy tossed it to Lettuce with a snort. “Hmph.”

Lettuce caught the chip and cautiously asked, “Woo?”

Lettuce’s hunch was right: Timothy was indeed still in the forest, and finding it had been surprisingly easy. But…

Timothy had already seen the message on the wooden chip. Why wasn’t it coming back with Lettuce?

Timothy flicked its tail in refusal. “Woo.”

Lettuce felt a pang of disappointment but didn’t give up, wanting to try persuading it one more time.

The Plant Little Courtyard was completely different now, a true base dedicated solely to mutated plants.

But Timothy insisted this place was also a “base,” with many members all following its orders.

With a flick of its tail, the nearby Butterfly Orchid scurried forward, raising a broad leaf to gently fan Timothy.

Lettuce fell silent for a moment, realizing Timothy was living quite comfortably here.

Most plants preferred solitude, fiercely guarding their territory against intruders. But Timothy was different.

It didn’t need companions, only “subordinates.” Lettuce could almost imagine how Timothy had beaten the forest plants into submission, forcing them all to obey.

If only it could bring all these plants back with it…

Lettuce persisted, continuing to plead.

Carnivorous Plant, Nut, and the others are all at the base. And Qian Hui… Qian Hui is back.

Lettuce had only recently reunited with Qian Hui himself. Qian Hui had been tirelessly searching for the plants from the Little Courtyard, and he desperately wanted Timothy to return.

Hearing this, Timothy fell silent for a moment, then let out a “hmph” and flicked its tail back and forth.

Lettuce waited anxiously. Timothy spoke again, its tone still cold: “Hmm.”

I’ll think about it. Let’s talk again in a few days.

Lettuce sighed in relief. As long as Timothy hadn’t outright refused, there was still a chance.

Lettuce understood. Timothy hadn’t seen the others in so long, and it had found a new home and companions. It was unrealistic to expect it to agree to return immediately.

Lettuce nodded and placed the wooden chip back down.

The chip was engraved with coordinates, allowing Timothy to come to the base whenever it wished. Lettuce would also visit periodically. The base had Flyers, making travel convenient.

Timothy flicked its tail to acknowledge the information.

It turned to leave, showing no intention of letting Lettuce stay longer.

Lettuce took the hint and departed, bidding farewell to Timothy and waving to all the surrounding plants.

It walked away from the forest, turning back every three steps.

Emerging from the trees, it saw Rose waiting nearby and quickly landed the Flyer.

It picked up the wooden chip it had thrown out of the forest, planning to scatter it elsewhere along the way.

Lettuce praised its good work and climbed into the cockpit, but then sighed.

Rose glanced at the forest, guessing what was on Lettuce’s mind.

Before long, Lettuce regained some of its spirits.

It had mentally prepared for this outcome, but finding Timothy was still a significant breakthrough.

Lettuce piloted the Flyer into the sky, casting one last look at the forest before slowly departing.

In the forest, Daisy picked up a wooden chip from the ground, tilting its head in curiosity.

When the chips had been scattered into the forest, the plants had been utterly bewildered. Seeing Timothy throw the chips away, they had quickly followed suit.

Is the Plant Base… even bigger than our place?

Daisy nudged closer to Timothy, wanting to ask if their leader would take them there. “Woo?”

Timothy glanced at the wooden chip in Daisy’s hand, flicked its tail, and huffed.

Let me think about it some more. I don’t really want to go anyway.

Daisy didn’t press further. It casually tossed the wooden chip aside and followed Timothy.

It was only six in the morning. Timothy would normally still be asleep at this hour, but the noise from the Flyer and the wooden chip had woken it up.

Timothy ventured deep into the forest, leaped onto the soft bed woven atop the shrubs, circled once, and settled down.

The other plants quietly retreated, not daring to disturb their leader’s rest.

Yet after lying there for a while, Timothy found itself unable to sleep, its tail twitching restlessly.

Half an hour later, Timothy let out a soft “woo woo.”

From the nearby bushes, a white Hydrangea poked its head out in response.

Soon after, Hydrangea arrived carrying a bowl made of leaves, which it placed beneath the shrubs.

The leaf bowl contained freshly picked wild berries. Timothy leaped down and began eating slowly, its head buried in the bowl.

After finishing breakfast, it lay back down, its fluffy tail dangling over the edge of the bed.

Hydrangea approached with a small iron shard and carefully trimmed the split ends of Timothy’s tail.

Once the repairs were complete, Hydrangea put away the iron shard, and Timothy suddenly rolled over.

It stared at Hydrangea for a moment, then its tail moved rapidly, swish, swish, trimming away part of Hydrangea’s petals.

Timothy examined its work carefully, then wagged its tail in satisfaction.

Now, nearly half of Hydrangea’s white petals had been trimmed away, leaving strange bifurcations at the base. The resulting shape…

…resembled human hair.

Hydrangea touched itself, then walked away carrying its leaf bowl.

Even though I’m uglier now, it’s okay. Just a few petals gone. As long as Boss likes it.

The forest was quiet, and warm sunlight gradually filtered through the canopy.

Timothy stretched lazily, hopped off its little bed, and prepared to sunbathe by the lake.

Halfway there, it suddenly stopped, changed direction, and headed toward the “storage room” on the other side of the forest.

On the grassy ground, several broken wall fragments had been arranged into a makeshift “tent,” inside which lay a pile of accumulated loot—trophies gathered by Timothy and the other plants.

Timothy, bothered by the excessive dust, summoned Iris to help search the storage room.

Iris rummaged diligently for a long time before finally unearthing what Timothy wanted: a solar-powered communicator and a thick, folded map. Both items had been recovered from a human ability user, possibly stolen in passing.

Iris spread the map on the ground, and Timothy leaned in to examine it.

The map was large and meticulously detailed. Following the coordinates on the wooden chip, Timothy located the position of the “Black Ridge Mountain Base.”

Beneath the coordinates was a string of numbers—a communication channel number, its owner unknown.

The communicator had been stored for a long time, and its functionality was uncertain. Timothy tossed it into a sunny spot to charge.

Seeing this, Iris couldn’t resist asking what the device was for.

Timothy replied, “Woo.”

Iris was astonished. It had never known its leader could read human script. So impressive!

Timothy tilted its head, gave its tail a gentle wag, and turned to head toward the lake.

—

Before nine in the morning, the Plant Squad and Lettuce returned to base, one after the other.

Potato and Big Cherry were the first to arrive. Along the way, Potato had been feeding Big Cherry landmines. Big Cherry’s spirits had recovered somewhat, and it went to catch up on sleep.

Thanks to Big Cherry, the surprise attack mission had been a resounding success. They had effortlessly seized Sky Base, with only Nut sustaining minor superficial injuries. The rest of the plants emerged unscathed.

Everyone knew this was due to the element of surprise. Sky Base had captured Big Cherry before but remained unaware of its abilities.

Wen Jue might have escaped to another Branch Base, and if there were a next attack, they would undoubtedly be prepared.

But these were not immediate concerns. Sky Base’s Main Base lay in ruins, and its Pharmaceutical Factory had been destroyed—a devastating blow to their enemies.

Qian Hui praised each plant individually, using the generous Prestige Points reward to purchase another modified car and three Flyers.

Cabbage and Lettuce had also made progress. The wooden chips had been scattered, and Pomelo should be able to see them. Timothy was still considering his options.

Qian Hui picked up Lettuce and comforted it, “It’s alright… as long as Maomao is safe.”

Hiding his disappointment, Qian Hui thought that if Timothy didn’t want to return, that was fine too. It was surrounded by other plants and perfectly safe in the forest.

As for Pomelo, Lettuce planned to check on it again in the next few days, determined to find it.

Having woken up before dawn and maintained a state of high alert, the plants were exhausted but exhilarated. They followed Carrot to the lake for a swim and some water play.

Big Peanut and several other plants gathered nearby, listening intently as Corn vividly recounted the battle.

The massive Nut, the carrot rain carrying coded messages, and most crucially, Big Cherry…

Big Peanut’s blood boiled with excitement. It nearly volunteered to join the Plant Squad on the spot, eager to participate in future battles.

But it hesitated, unable to voice its desire. Its gaze lingered enviously on the two weapon pendants hanging around Corn’s neck.

Meanwhile, elsewhere…

An unmarked modified car pulled to a stop in a secluded spot. The subordinate turned to ask, “Sir, where to?”

To the left lay a branch base, while to the right was another base led by a leader who was on good terms with Wen Jue and would surely offer temporary shelter.

In the back seat, Wen Jue closed his eyes. “Anywhere will do.”

It made no difference where they went. The Main Base and Pharmaceutical Factory had been destroyed, and they hadn’t even stockpiled any of the potion that could alleviate Lost State symptoms elsewhere.

They had indeed been careless this time. If Wen Jue hadn’t made the snap decision to evacuate, he would likely be a corpse by now.

The modified car began to move. Wen Jue opened his eyes, staring out the window with a suppressed emotion in his gaze.

Whenever anything involved Nan Tingjin or Qian Hui, his ability seemed to be blocked, unable to detect any information. Otherwise, how could the Main Base have been so easily destroyed?

Yet Wen Jue understood that even with advance warning and thorough preparation, they might still have been unable to withstand the mutated plants’ assault.

Those plants had grown stronger, possessing a power that could no longer be underestimated.

In this Doomsday era, strength was the ultimate key to survival.

Wen Jue lowered his gaze to a box at his feet.

Inside was another potion, capable of temporarily amplifying human abilities to unleash attacks similar to the energy-charged strikes of mutated plants.

He had ordered the Pharmaceutical Factory to rush production of these potions some time ago, and though the quantity was substantial, he hadn’t expected to deploy them so soon.

Through various channels, Wen Jue had also learned about the current state of the mutated plants.

They had established a base in the Black Ridge Mountain region, and among them was a plant that seemed capable of curing the Lost State. The specifics remained unclear.

Whether it’s true or not… we’ll find out once we capture that plant.

The modified car continued its silent journey, weaving through winding paths and navigating the desolate ruins.

—

News of the attack on Sky Base spread rapidly.

Qi Yue did not betray Qian Hui’s trust. They indeed received Sky Base’s distress call immediately but pretended not to see it.

He had also stationed several teams nearby, forbidding other bases from investigating until the commotion subsided.

As a result, many learned that Cloud River Base had chosen to side with the mutated plants.

Faced with widespread criticism, the base leader openly admitted they had received help from the mutated plants, restoring all their Ability Users to full health.

Gradually, more details about recent events and developments became public knowledge.

A team sent by another base approached Black Ridge Mountain after Qi Yue, seeking to purchase the “Antidote.” However, their lingering skepticism angered Nan Tingjin, who injured them.

Though they failed to acquire the antidote, one Ability User in the team suffered severe symptoms. Nan Tingjin forcibly poured a mouthful of the powdery liquid from a bottle down his throat.

The Ability User recovered instantly and showed no side effects afterward.

Consequently, the base sent another team, this time with a complete reversal in attitude. They bowed and scraped before Yuan Ji and his subordinates, practically begging on their knees.

The captain, a sensible leader, had brought ample supplies: grain, weapons, and a large crate of stored crystal cores.

Yuan Ji glanced at the quantity of crystal cores and gestured for his men to carry them away to the Plant Little Courtyard.

Crystal cores were the only thing the plants currently needed, as Qian Hui had mentioned to Yuan Ji the previous day.

Over the past two days, more and more bases had proactively contacted them.

Little Mushroom had brewed five more bottles of potion and temporarily entrusted them to Yuan Ji for safekeeping.

Yuan Ji inquired about the captain’s base and provided dosage instructions for one bottle.

Simultaneously, Qian Hui in the Little Courtyard received a Game Notification:

[ Lake City Base will become an Allied Independent Faction. Do you wish to form a bond? ]

[ Bonded with Lake City Base. You can view it in the Encyclopedia. ]

[ Lake City Base has become your Allied Independent Faction. Reward: 3,000 Faction Points, 1,000 Prestige Points. ]

Qian Hui opened the Encyclopedia. Beside the newly illuminated Allied Independent Faction, there was another entry labeled “Riverview Base,” which had arrived the previous day.

Riverview Base maintained friendly relations with Cloud River Base and was familiar with Qi Yue, facilitating smooth communication. They took one and a half bottles of potion, promising to deliver two crates of crystal cores the following day.

Progress in this area was remarkably smooth. Qian Hui barely had to lift a finger to earn both Faction Points and Prestige Points.

These Faction Points could be converted into credits, eliminating the need to venture out to hunt zombies in the short term.

However, Qian Hui had recently decided to make an exception.

He told Lettuce that he wanted to go look for Pomelo together the day after tomorrow.

Lettuce, who was currently testing out the recliner Little Cabbage had woven, immediately stood up.

“Woo woo!” It shook its head vigorously, signaling its disapproval.

The outside world was too dangerous. Wen Jue had vanished without a trace, and the Zombie King Giant Corpse remained hidden. The base’s defenses were at their peak, and with the people from Black Ridge Mountain nearby, Qian Hui was safest staying here.

“But,” Qian Hui hesitated, “I want to find Pomelo too.”

It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Lettuce, but Pomelo was stranded outside and might not be brought back. Qian Hui felt that his chances of finding Pomelo would be better if he searched personally.

Lettuce hesitated as well, glancing at Nan Tingjin, who stood beside Qian Hui.

With Nan Tingjin’s protection, it might not be impossible…

They could take two modified cars and make a trip to the surrounding areas to search for more plants along the way.

Lettuce nodded in agreement, preparing to ask Carrot for its opinion as well.

—

It was afternoon in the desolate city ruins.

Pomelo, draped in pomelo leaves to mask its scent, pushed aside the stone blocking the “room’s” exit.

As soon as it peeked out, it noticed the rain and immediately retreated.

Oh no, it’s raining…

The Flyer that had scattered wooden chips earlier definitely wouldn’t be coming now.

After a moment’s hesitation, Pomelo shook off the leaves and went back to sleep.

Well, I’ll just wait for the rain to stop.

Maybe… they really will come for me?

Pomelo lay down, its heart filled with longing, yet it shook its head and sighed.