Level 1 Little Zombie Doomsday Growth Diary - Chapter 76

Chapter 76

The back seat fell silent as Pea’s eyes widened, darting back and forth between the nine Little Bitter Gourds.

They’re all different?

Cabbage and Carrot leaned in, joining Pea in scrutinizing the gourds.

The attention made the Little Bitter Gourds nervous. They sat rigidly, hugging their knees, afraid to move.

At first glance, their expressions and postures seemed identical, almost like perfect copies. But upon closer inspection, subtle differences emerged: variations in the patterns on their bitter gourd shells, slight variations in size, and distinct shapes of the leaves sprouting from their heads.

While the nine Little Bitter Gourds were indeed unique, memorizing them all quickly enough to identify each one at a glance proved challenging.

Carrot tried, managing to remember two or three before the others slipped from its mind.

The other plants in the vehicle gradually gathered around, joining the game of memorizing the Little Bitter Gourds.

Starfruit furrowed its brow in deep concentration, whispering to Dragon Fruit beside it. Pointing at one of the Little Bitter Gourds, it exclaimed, “Woo!”

You’re Second Gourd!

The Little Bitter Gourd shook its head vigorously. “Woo woo, woo!”

No, no! I’m Third Gourd!

Pumpkin and Watermelon sat on the other side, successfully identifying Little Bitter Gourd’s number and declaring that they were also gourds, just one a watermelon and the other a pumpkin.

Little Bitter Gourd exclaimed in surprise, “Eh?” and glanced at them.

After playing for a while, even the most dizzy Cabbage could distinguish three or four Little Bitter Gourds, but Big Pea couldn’t remember a single one.

Carrot mocked it, saying its eyesight was terrible, no wonder it was always getting lost.

Big Pea glared fiercely. So what if I’m bad with directions? Sweet Pepper is just as bad!

When we get back to the base and Sweet Pepper sees these Little Bitter Gourds, it won’t remember them either!

Durian, with an air of “you all have terrible eyesight,” pulled out a biscuit from its backpack and took a couple of bites.

Truthfully, it didn’t know why it could remember so easily; it seemed like an innate talent…

Durian quietly sighed, concealing the faint disappointment in its eyes.

Big Pea continued trying to distinguish the Little Bitter Gourds, growing increasingly agitated.

It clutched its head, grimacing, and slumped onto the chair for a moment before suddenly sitting up straight and rummaging through its small backpack.

Finally, Big Pea pulled out a human writing pen.

During a recent trip to Black Ridge Mountain Base, Big Pea had casually snatched the pen from someone’s desk, thinking it looked fun. It brought it back with it.

Big Pea uncapped the pen and drew a line on its hand, leaving a black mark.

It chuckled to itself and approached the nine Little Bitter Gourds, intending to mark them.

The Little Bitter Gourds had no objection; this would indeed make it easier to get acquainted with everyone.

As Pea instructed, they lined up in order from Big Gourd to Ninth Gourd.

The road outside wasn’t perfectly smooth, and the modified car swayed slightly. Big Pea carefully drew a “1” on Big Gourd’s forehead.

The next two were marked “2” and “3.” When it came to Fourth Gourd, Big Pea scratched its head and asked Carrot how to write “four.”

Carrot shot it a glance, snatched the pen, pushed Pea aside, and finished writing the numbers itself.

Having previously studied the Plant Dictionary’s translations with Chili Pepper, Carrot remembered some simple characters and smoothly wrote the remaining numbers from four to nine.

Now they could be distinguished. The Little Bitter Gourds touched their foreheads and happily returned to their seats.

Carrot handed the pen back to Big Pea and slowly approached Durian.

It reached out and touched Durian, its eyes filled with concern.

The calmer Durian appeared, the more uneasy Carrot felt. Facing so many Little Bitter Gourds, it couldn’t possibly have no thoughts at all.

Durian glanced at Carrot and pursed its lips.

It lowered its head and let out a soft “woo woo.”

Of course, it was envious. In most plant species, including its own, only one individual could evolve consciousness. The higher the grade, the fewer its kind.

If it were low-grade, perhaps there would still be a sliver of hope… But after so long, Durian had long abandoned such expectations.

Beyond envy, Durian also felt happy for the Little Bitter Gourds. Having so many siblings was an incredible and fortunate thing.

Though it had no siblings, it now had many companions, no longer as lonely as before.

Durian sniffled and took Carrot’s hand, wanting to lean against it.

Carrot pushed it away disdainfully, complaining that its thorns were too prickly.

Durian obediently sat up straight. “Woo…”

When they returned to the base, could it be entrusted with caring for these nine Little Bitter Gourds?

Even though Durian and Bitter Gourd looked completely different… it really liked these Little Bitter Gourds.

Being with them would indirectly compensate for the loneliness of having no kin.

Carrot nodded, agreeing immediately.

Durian was even more delighted, already imagining himself leading a group of Little Bitter Gourds.

He wondered what their skills were. They were low-grade, so probably…

But no matter! He could craft weapons for them and then beg Qian Hui to buy some armor!

In the other vehicle, Qian Hui opened the Game Encyclopedia and was also reviewing the Little Bitter Gourds’ information.

[ Species: Bitter Gourd Family (9 members) 

[ Grade: Low-grade 

[ Status: Good 

[ Loyalty: 50% 

[ Basic Skill: Can digest 200g of harmful substances within three hours 

[ Advanced Skill: Immune to all poisons for 30 minutes 

[ Berserk Skill: Unknown 

[ Combat Preparation Details: Unlocked at 80% Loyalty 

All nine Little Bitter Gourds were listed under a single entry in the Encyclopedia, sharing the same name and mostly identical skills.

Judging by the skill descriptions, it was no wonder they could survive so long in their previous location, scavenging only discarded human food.

But this “harmful substances” might not just refer to spoiled food.

The berserk skill slot simply read “Unknown.” Qian Hui didn’t pay much attention to it; low-grade plants rarely evolved unique, charge-up attacks.

He turned to see Big Peanut sitting next to Pomelo. He opened Pomelo’s Encyclopedia entry:

[ Species: Round Pomelo 

[ Grade: Special-Grade 

[ Status: Excellent 

[ Loyalty: 100% 

[ Basic Skill: Aura Concealment (Uses leaves to mask its aura, concealing itself) 

[ Advanced Skills: Pomelo Bowling Ball (Rolling attack; damage increases with target’s height); Leaf Needles (Maximum 50 needles fired instantly; 90% critical hit rate; guaranteed penetration of targets up to 0.3 meters thick) 

[ Berserk Skill: Reflected Shockwave (100-meter radius, 100% accuracy) 

[ Combat Preparation Details: None ]

Curious, Qian Hui scrolled through the entry. Including the two advanced skills, Pomelo possessed four completely distinct abilities:

It could conceal its aura, engage in both melee and ranged combat, and…

The berserk skill, “Reflected Shockwave,” puzzled Qian Hui. He couldn’t quite grasp its meaning.

Could it be like the Carnivorous Flower, useful when surrounded by too many enemies?

Qian Hui closed the Game Interface and called out, “Youyou.”

A rustle of pomelo leaves stirred, and they slowly shifted toward Qian Hui. Corn moved aside, joining Eggplant and Pomegranate on the opposite side.

As Pomelo drew closer, many of its leaves fell away, revealing half its face as it gazed up at Qian Hui.

Qian Hui reached out, scooped Pomelo into his arms, and patted its head. “Still hungry?” he asked.

He had been genuinely curious about the effects of Pomelo’s berserk skill, but the words caught in his throat.

As a special-grade mutated plant, especially an offensive type, its power must be considerable.

Pomelo had only just been found; there was no need to worry about anything else for now.

Pomelo sat quietly in Qian Hui’s arms for a moment before murmuring a reluctant “Mm-hmm.”

Seeing Qian Hui pull several food packets from his coat pocket, Pomelo reached out to take them, intending to eat alone in a corner.

Qian Hui didn’t stop it, letting Pomelo shuffle back to the edge of the seat, just as it had come, and bury itself in quiet feasting.

The two modified cars drove for over half an hour before reaching a small forest.

It was noon, so the squad decided to rest in the forest and continue their journey in the afternoon.

The modified cars couldn’t penetrate deep into the forest, so they parked at the edge, partially concealed by a few sparse trees.

Carrot checked the car doors and windows, then had Starfruit retrieve the Flyer from the trunk. The two vehicles were left alone.

The plants disembarked. Durian led nine identical Little Bitter Gourds, instructing them to stay close.

The Little Bitter Gourds nodded in unison, picked up twigs and pebbles from the ground, and clustered around Durian, their eyes darting around.

“Are there any plants here?” Qian Hui asked, scanning the area as he slowly walked deeper into the forest with Nan Tingjin.

Cabbage sniffed carefully, uncertain.

It had scattered wooden chips here before. If any plants willing to join the base were present, they should have sensed the aura of a special-grade mutated plant and revealed themselves.

Mimosa returned to Carrot’s forehead, its leaves trembling slightly before hesitantly raising three of them.

Carrot noticed the movement out of the corner of its eye and followed its gaze.

The simultaneous lifting of three leaves indicated that Mimosa’s senses were being disrupted, making it uncertain about what lay ahead.

Carrot drew a Leaf Needle and, with Big Pea leading the way, advanced toward the disturbance. Qian Hui and the other plants followed closely behind.

Starfruit piloted the Flyer alone, maintaining a low altitude above the forest canopy.

Pomelo, moving at its usual sluggish pace, suddenly looked up to find Big Peanut beside it.

Slightly nervous, it subtly shifted a little to the side.

After several minutes of walking deeper into the forest, the squad arrived at a small lake.

Mimosa lowered its leaves, signaling that this lake was their destination.

The presence of a lake meant there was likely aquatic vegetation.

Carrot’s eyes lit up with excitement as it rushed to the shore, eager to peer into the water.

It had long wanted to bring back some aquatic plants to the base’s artificial lake, hoping they might even help care for its fish.

Carrot leaned in close, almost burying its face in the water as it carefully searched for plants.

The lake was crystal clear, yet eerily still, as if no plants existed within.

Mimosa remained motionless, whether disturbed by the lake water or because the plants were hidden deep within.

Big Pea joined Carrot, tossing some food into the water as it looked.

On the grassy bank, Qian Hui and the other plants had already found their spots and settled down.

Starfruit landed the Flyer at the edge, while Watermelon and Pumpkin helped distribute the food.

Durian grabbed a large pile of food, only to return it shortly after. The Little Bitter Gourds had eaten earlier and weren’t very hungry yet.

One of the Little Bitter Gourds suggested that just one more cookie each would be enough.

Durian handed out the cookies and sat down beside them.

As it ate lunch, it occasionally glanced at the Little Bitter Gourds.

How wonderful… Maybe I should change my name to Bitter Gourd too.

I could be ahead of Big Gourd in the Plant Dictionary, calling myself Giant Gourd, since I’m the tallest and largest.

Durian lowered its head to examine itself again. If I dyed my shell green, I might look quite a bit like Bitter Gourd, it thought silently for a moment. Then it reconsidered. Maybe dyeing isn’t necessary. Chili Pepper and Sweet Pepper look completely different, yet they’re the best of friends.

By the lake, Big Pea had left, and Lettuce had come to bring Carrot some food.

The water remained still, despite Carrot calling out several times.

Undeterred, Carrot found a wooden chip it had scattered earlier and hurled it forcefully into the center of the lake.

Mimosa, who was with Qian Hui, was curling up a small piece of broken cookie when its leaves suddenly trembled.

It immediately grew alert, then hesitated.

Throughout their journey, Mimosa had been constantly using its basic skill, Aura Concealment, to gather every scrap of information.

Just moments ago, it had sensed a human presence.

It assumed a human was approaching, but the aura quickly retreated, as if merely passing through its detection range.

Hesitant, Mimosa decided to observe more closely. Then it saw Carrot and Four-Leaf Clover hurrying toward them.

Now that they weren’t rushing, Four-Leaf Clover had already told Carrot about the strange sensation it had detected earlier.

A vehicle sped past them, its movements suspicious.

Carrot asked, “Did you see any markings on that car?”

Four-Leaf Clover shook its head, and Carrot’s expression grew serious.

Vehicles leaving human bases typically display markings indicating their origin. The absence of such markings suggested the occupants wished to conceal their identity.

In the distance, a modified car stood motionless.

The captain put away his Communicator and addressed his team: “Third Team and Fourth Team are on their way.”

Judging by their direction, the mutated plants seemed to be retreating, though their exact numbers remained uncertain.

Since they were voluntarily leaving Black Ridge Mountain, the opportunity couldn’t be missed. Capturing even one or two would be worthwhile.

The captain glanced down at the vials of Potion beside him.

Rumor had it that this substance could dramatically enhance Ability Users’ strength, replicating the energy-charged attacks of mutated plants.

If it truly worked as claimed… once they dealt with the remaining threats outside, the reserve forces waiting at the base could immediately deploy.

With Wen Jue’s Potion, conquering the two bases near Black Ridge Mountain would become a breeze.

—

In the forest, Carrot rushed to Qian Hui’s side, tugging at his sleeve and whimpering, “Woo woo.”

Qian Hui didn’t understand what was happening, but the surrounding plants immediately sensed the danger.

Mimosa raised its leaves, pointing in the direction it had detected the disturbance.

The plants grew alert, quickly finishing their remaining lunch.

If the squad was being followed, their pursuers were likely hostile and possibly connected to Sky Base.

Big Pea snorted, pulling out its muzzle-shaped weapon.

They hadn’t encountered many zombies on their journey so far. These humans were practically delivering themselves to their doorstep, offering Qian Hui a chance to earn some Prestige Points.

Big Peanut rubbed its fists together, ready for battle.

It was time to shine again! If it could beat up zombies, humans would be no problem!

Durian detached several sharp spines from its body, handing them to the Little Bitter Gourds for self-defense.

The Little Bitter Gourds clutched the spines protectively, forming a defensive circle around Durian.

Nearby, Pomelo froze, shrinking back nervously.

Who are we fighting? it thought, trembling. I’m scared…

Meanwhile, Mimosa focused its senses on the distant target.

Unnoticed by anyone, the lake’s surface rippled gently. A pale, half-submerged head emerged, peering cautiously around.