Level 1 Little Zombie Doomsday Growth Diary - Chapter 72

Chapter 72

The rain was acidic, and it poured until nightfall.

After the rain stopped, the drenched ruins emitted a foul odor.

Fortunately, the rainwater hadn’t seeped into Pomelo’s “room.” It had stuffed the surrounding area with pomelo leaves, almost completely enveloping itself within them.

It stood up, stretched, and paced around a few times. Feeling hungry, it reached into the leaf pile and retrieved a small packet of dried rations.

These rations had been snatched from passing humans during his last encounter. The area was desolate, offering no natural food sources, yet humans frequently passed through.

After gnawing through half of the hard, dry ration, Pomelo wrapped the remainder and tucked it back into the leaf pile.

The rations tasted barely acceptable, but they lacked moisture.

Pomelo had considered leaving this place to live in a forest or similar environment.

While forests offered better conditions and a greater variety of plants, the competition for resources would be far fiercer.

Unlike here, where plants rarely ventured and zombies were pitifully scarce, yet food could be regularly scavenged.

Sitting back down on the leaf pile, Pomelo retrieved a wooden chip from a corner and traced the characters carved into its surface.

The Plant Base… fifty plant members.

So many… so, so many…

This was one of the reasons Pomelo hesitated to go to the base immediately.

Back in the Little Courtyard, there had been many plants already, but now there were even more.

With so many plants, Pomelo wondered if Qian Hui and the others still needed it, or even remembered it.

Pomelo pondered silently for a while, then set down the wooden chip and casually picked up one of its leaves. It folded the leaf into various shapes to pass the time.

Carnivorous Flower’s head was large, Carrot was skinny, Cabbage was plump, Pea was round, and Sweet Pepper… Sweet Pepper was also round.

Little Mushroom was the smallest, requiring only a tiny piece of leaf for its pointed cap.

Qian Hui was more difficult to fold. After many attempts, Pomelo managed to tie a small leaf doll together.

It then picked up another leaf, tore it into a few pieces, and tossed them aside.

—This was Nan Tingjin.

Once finished, Pomelo yawned, feeling sleepy again.

It arranged the leaf figures around itself and lay down, tilting its head to rest.

The night passed quickly. By nearly ten o’clock the next morning, Pomelo finally pushed aside the stone blocking the exit of its “room.”

It glanced around, tossed out the excess pomelo leaves, and exhaled sharply.

The leaves were immediately swept away by the wind, scattering across the ruins.

Unfortunately, two low-grade zombies happened to be wandering nearby and caught the fresh scent of the pomelo leaves.

The zombies lunged toward the scent, and Pomelo, hearing the commotion, quickly blocked the entrance with the stone again.

It wasn’t afraid or unable to fight; it simply didn’t want to bother.

Low-grade zombies are no match for me. They’ll lose interest and wander off soon enough.

Sure enough, after a short while, the two low-grade zombies, having lost sight of their target, began chasing the wind-blown pomelo leaves, gradually moving away from the area.

Pomelo still hesitated to leave, worried the zombies might return.

It pulled out the half-eaten piece of dried rations from the previous night and patted around the room for more.

Damn, this is the last of my food.

Now it had no choice but to go out. Pomelo frowned and took a bite of the dried rations.

—

After unanimous agreement from several plants within the base, Qian Hui was finally permitted to venture outside.

Times had changed. With the base established, Qian Hui was now its leader, more vital than any other plant.

Moreover, his constitution remained frail. Despite possessing the physical traits of zombification, he was essentially a regular human, constantly requiring protection.

The members of the accompanying squad had to be carefully selected, as a portion of the group needed to remain behind to guard the base.

Carrot perched on a tree by the lake, surveying the surroundings.

Newcomers were out of the question; their Loyalty was insufficient. Recent shipments of crystal cores from the humans meant they also needed to retain some intelligent plants to train and mentor the new arrivals.

Little Mushroom also wanted to go, but Qian Hui and Carrot both vetoed the idea, and Carnivorous Flower concurred.

The base remained the safest option, fortified by a defense barrier and maze mist. Qian Hui had also purchased four Three-Barrel Cannons, positioning them around the perimeter for any plant to use.

Worst-case scenario, the Black Ridge Mountain Base stood nearby.

Little Mushroom’s abilities were now crucial to human Ability Users. Though publicly known as Carnivorous Flower… in short, the Black Ridge Mountain Base’s personnel served as the Little Courtyard’s “bodyguards.”

Little Mushroom grumbled and stomped off, but moments later it was playing with the newly arrived Little Prickly Fruit, its displeasure forgotten.

In the end, Carrot selected Pea, Cabbage, Lettuce, Corn, Durian, Cactus, Mimosa, and itself, forming a seventeen-member Plant Squad for the expedition.

Sunflower wouldn’t be joining; Carnivorous Flower stayed behind to protect Little Mushroom, Nut had to guard both bases, and Sweet Pepper would accompany Chili Pepper to guide the new plants.

Potato also remained behind, as Big Cherry hadn’t fully recovered and needed constant feeding.

As Qian Hui’s boyfriend, Nan Tingjin was naturally part of the squad, serving as its sole human ability user.

Carrot had initially worried about both base leaders leaving at once, but Yuan Ji reassured it, “Just leave the bases to me. I’ve handled far worse.”

Yuan Ji had come to deliver fish to Carrot. Of the five he’d brought last time, Carrot had managed to kill three within days.

Carrot sulked, though it ate the fish with gusto.

With Yuan Ji in charge, Carrot felt reassured. It let out a series of “woo woos” and pointed toward the group of vulnerable plants playing in the distance, signaling Yuan Ji to protect them well.

The direction Carrot pointed led to the Carnivorous Flower, who was guarding Little Mushroom.

Yuan Ji nodded in understanding. “I get it.”

Meanwhile, Big Peanut found Qian Hui sunbathing under a tree. Nan Tingjin sat beside him, with Lettuce and Cabbage nearby.

Big Peanut grew increasingly nervous, its courage wavering. It turned to sneak away, but Qian Hui called out, “Peanut?”

Forced to muster its courage, Big Peanut approached Qian Hui and tugged at his sleeve, “Woo woo,” it pleaded, its eyes filled with longing.

Sunflower wasn’t present, so Qian Hui couldn’t understand what Big Peanut was saying. Lettuce pointed to the modified car at the entrance, then gestured outside.

Now Qian Hui understood: Big Peanut wanted to go out with them.

“Why?” Qian Hui asked. “Do you want to play outside, or…?”

Big Peanut immediately straightened its back, clenched its fist, and waved it emphatically. “Woo!”

It could protect Qian Hui too! It wanted to fight alongside the Plant Squad!

Amused by Big Peanut’s earnestness, Qian Hui pulled it into a hug, patted its head, and opened the Encyclopedia.

[ Species: Red-skinned Peanut ]

[ Grade: High-grade ]

[ Status: Excellent ]

[ Loyalty: 70% ]

[ Basic Skills: Peanut Punch (50% critical hit rate) / Peanut (70% critical hit accuracy) ]

[ Advanced Skills: Giant Peanut Shot (85% critical hit accuracy) ]

[ Berserk Skill: Unknown ]

[ Combat Preparation Details: Loyalty 80% unlocks ]

It turned out to be a plant proficient in both melee and ranged combat, with considerable strength.

Big Peanut hadn’t been at the base long. Sometimes it seemed introverted and quiet, but somehow its Loyalty had gradually risen to 70%.

Qian Hui pondered for a moment, then agreed, “You can come with me, but you have to be obedient and not wander off.”

Big Peanut nodded excitedly. It then saw Qian Hui pull several pills and a bottle of Evolution Liquid from his pocket.

The pills were for adding Skill Points, making Big Peanut even more excited. It babbled incoherently for a long time before finally swallowing them all.

The Evolution Liquid took effect immediately, adding a new entry to Big Peanut’s advanced skills: “Shelled Giant Peanut Shot,” which added an extra layer of damage upon explosion.

Big Peanut chuckled foolishly, hugging Qian Hui’s wrist and rubbing against it for a long time, almost burrowing into his chest. “Woo…”

Qian Hui seized the opportunity to ask, “Do you like it here?”

Big Peanut was different from the other new plants; it had been forcibly brought back…

In the first two days, Little Cabbage had secretly told Qian Hui that Big Peanut seemed to want to leave.

But now, after all this time, it still hadn’t gone.

Big Peanut nodded vigorously, “Woo woo!”

Qian Hui patted its head again. “I like you too. This place is your home now.”

Big Peanut tilted its head and nuzzled Qian Hui’s palm, clinging to him for a long time before running off to play elsewhere.

Lettuce and Cabbage were sitting under a nearby tree, talking closely, with Little Cabbage nearby.

Little Cabbage sat on the ground, looking around. Lettuce then tore off two pieces of lettuce leaf, crumpled them into small balls, and slipped them onto Little Cabbage’s hands.

Lettuce’s leaves were special; unlike ordinary plant leaves, they stayed fresh for a long time after being detached and were coated with Lettuce’s soporific mist.

Miniature boxing gloves made from these leaves were far more powerful.

This was a special gift for Little Cabbage, who had made a small recliner that Lettuce adored.

Little Cabbage was ecstatic, raising its hands to examine them again and again as it twisted its head, searching for a target to test out its new gloves.

Qian Hui watched its retreating figure, then suddenly found himself pulled into Nan Tingjin’s arms.

Nan Tingjin settled Qian Hui on his lap, lowered his head, took his hand, and gently massaged his joints.

This had become Nan Tingjin’s favorite ritual since his memories began returning, even though Qian Hui no longer needed it.

He remained focused and diligent, never missing a day, as if trying to make up for the years they had been separated.

Qian Hui didn’t resist, nestling obediently against his chest.

Their expedition to find Pomelo was scheduled for tomorrow morning. Qian Hui opened the Shop and casually purchased some supplies, storing them in his Game Backpack.

Uncertain when they would return, he knew the plants remaining at the base would need provisions too.

As Qian Hui scrolled through the items in his Game Backpack, he heard Nan Tingjin whisper, “You really like it?”

The question came out of nowhere. Qian Hui paused, confused, before realizing what he meant.

It must have been the “I like it” he had said to Big Peanut earlier.

“It’s just a plant…” Qian Hui said, a hint of helplessness in his voice. “It’s just a normal kind of liking.”

He reached out to hug Nan Tingjin and leaned in for a quick kiss.

Whether it was because Nan Tingjin was recalling past events or because his memories were fragmented and he kept remembering Qian Hui’s past rejections, he seemed anxious and insecure, his feelings plainly visible.

Nan Tingjin remained silent until Qian Hui had kissed him several times. Then he finally asked, “You like me?”

Qian Hui nodded. “Mm-hmm.”

“How much do you like me?”

This kind of exchange had happened more than once. Qian Hui replied smoothly, “I like you so, so much. I only like you.”

He nuzzled Nan Tingjin’s cheek and whispered, “Kiss me…”

With the other plants having wandered off, Qian Hui was held by the nape of his neck as Nan Tingjin kissed him, finally managing to soothe him.

—

The next day, the expedition squad packed up early.

To reach Pomelo’s area, Yuan Ji’s subordinates had prepared a detailed route map. Qian Hui could also take the opportunity to explore the nearby woodlands, searching for new plants willing to join the base.

Two modified cars set off, driven by Four-Leaf Clover and Cactus. The adjustable seats allowed Qian Hui and Nan Tingjin to ride comfortably.

One of the cars carried a Flyer in the trunk as a backup.

Big Peanut, the last to join the squad, rushed over with its new small backpack, scrambling into the back seat.

From the outside, the modified cars looked much like ordinary base vehicles. The one-way glass meant no one could see that a plant was behind the wheel unless the windows were opened.

Yuan Ji watched Qian Hui and Nan Tingjin get into the cars and drive out of the base gate.

He sighed silently, his heart heavy with melancholy.

Although things had been similar when Nan Tingjin was away before, now that both base leaders were gone and Carrot was also absent, the weight on his shoulders as second-in-command felt heavier than ever.

Everything else was manageable, but the most critical concern was Little Mushroom, who had remained at the base as a high-priority protection target.

Yuan Ji rallied his spirits, determined to first check on Little Mushroom’s location. If necessary, he could stay temporarily.

Accompanied by two subordinates, he walked halfway around the inner perimeter wall and found Little Mushroom playing with Rubber Tree.

Rubber Tree had bent its branches to create a massive swing from a leaf, where Little Mushroom sat, swaying back and forth, looking utterly delighted.

Surrounding it were Carnivorous Flower, Chili Pepper, Little Bamboo Shoot, Mango… Several plants were present. Yuan Ji watched for a moment before silently withdrawing.

Just as he was about to return to the base, a subordinate approached him with a Communicator.

Yuan Ji took it. “What’s this?”

Soon after, Yuan Ji returned to find Chili Pepper and handed the Communicator to it.

“I don’t know who sent this,” he said. “Can you take a look?”

This Communicator had belonged to the previous Leader of the base and had since fallen into disuse, stored in the guardhouse near the entrance.

That morning, the Communicator had suddenly received a strange message:

“Plant Base? ^#/”

Yuan Ji recognized some of the later characters from wooden chips he had seen before. Sensing something was off, he went to Chili Pepper, the base’s expert on such matters.

Chili Pepper was equally puzzled. Some human symbols bore a resemblance to plant characters. After consulting the Plant Dictionary for a long time, it managed to decipher the latter half of the message as two characters expressing goodwill.

Holding the Communicator, Chili Pepper checked the channel number, hoping to initiate a real-time conversation. However, the device indicated the distance was too great, supporting only short messages.

After a moment’s thought, Chili Pepper sent back, “Who?”

Seeing this, Yuan Ji handed the Communicator to it. “Contact me immediately if anything comes up.”

Chili Pepper nodded, took the Communicator, and hefted the thick Plant Dictionary as it walked away.

Half an hour later, a reply finally arrived.

“Human? I am plant.”

Chili Pepper’s eyes widened. It hadn’t imagined there was another plant besides itself who could read human script and use a Communicator.

Excited and nervous, it rushed to fetch Sweet Pepper.

The two plants huddled together, pondering for a long time before replying, “I too, am Pepper.”

They decided to be somewhat candid, reasoning that since they were only exchanging messages, they could avoid revealing critical information.

Moreover, the fact that the other party had found their way to Black Ridge Mountain Base and understood some plant characters meant it must be a very powerful plant.

Perhaps because they had previously established contact through the communication channels, the response this time came much faster.

“? What kind of Pepper?”

“Sweet and spicy. Who are you?”

On the other end of the Communicator, Timothy stared at the lit-up screen.

Sweet and spicy… what does that even mean?

The Communicator Timothy had found in the storage room worked after being left in the sun. It had only been testing it out and hadn’t expected such a quick response.

And the other party was also a plant? The characters it had sent didn’t seem like something a human would fake.

Could the Plant Base really be called Black Ridge Mountain Base?

No, that didn’t make sense. The map had existed long before.

Unless… the plants had taken over the base.

Timothy flicked its tail, finding this theory quite plausible.

Instead of answering the question, it sent another message: “What’s the situation at the base?”

A few minutes later, the Communicator in Chili Pepper’s hand lit up.

The other party refused to reveal its species but seemed interested in joining them.

The two Peppers were excited for a moment before cautiously replying, “Not bad.”

This time, there was a long silence on the other end. Chili Pepper grew impatient and sent another message: “Coming?”

“Considering it.”

“Alright, let’s chat often.”

Chili Pepper wasn’t discouraged. If it’s considering it, that means there’s interest. No need to rush.

It retrieved its small backpack, placed the Communicator inside, and prepared to carry it everywhere, sending occasional greetings or inquiries.

Meanwhile, Timothy stopped replying and tossed the Communicator aside.

Looks like that Plant Base is doing quite well.

Hmph…

Then what would I even do there? It’s not like the old Little Courtyard anymore, and there’s no need to fight zombies every day.

Or maybe I could go beat up all the plants there. Now that’s something I’d enjoy.

Timothy paced back and forth, wagging its tail and letting out a “woo” sound.

White Hydrangea, sporting its newly “trimmed” hairstyle, hurried over, holding out a leaf bowl filled with freshly washed fruit.

At the same time, Pomelo was wrestling with its own dilemma.

It stood at a cleared intersection, completely covered in pomelo leaves, making it impossible to identify its species and masking its scent.

From yesterday afternoon until nightfall, and now this morning… not a single human vehicle had passed by.

Without human teams passing through, there was no chance to scavenge food.

Pomelo lowered its head and ate the last bite of its dried rations.