Level 1 Little Zombie Doomsday Growth Diary - Extra 8

Extra 8 – Epilogue

Timothy fled toward the ruins, vanishing from sight in an instant.

Qian Hui, worried, wanted to search for it.

Nan Tingjin advised him against it, pointing out that there were countless mutated plants and he couldn’t save them all. He should just do his best.

Moreover, not all plants were like Carrot, Carnivorous Flower, and the others who willingly stayed near humans.

Qian Hui understood this. After a brief search nearby yielded nothing, he gave up.

Several days later, by chance, he encountered Timothy again.

Timothy was ambushing a human team. It moved with remarkable agility and possessed a unique ability, suggesting considerable strength.

The humans, in turn, were holding another plant—a Sunflower.

Though Timothy’s ability was formidable, it was ultimately fighting alone and stood little chance against two or three Ability Users.

With a human team present, Nan Tingjin and Qian Hui couldn’t intervene directly. So Carrot, Carnivorous Flower, and Pea quietly slipped away to assist Timothy in rescuing Sunflower.

Once they had shaken off the human team, Carnivorous Flower followed Timothy’s scent, searching in the direction it had fled. All they found was Sunflower, abandoned beneath a rock.

Timothy had vanished without a trace, gone again.

Sunflower was the sixth plant Qian Hui encountered. Completely defenseless and lacking any offensive capabilities, it was an exceptionally gentle creature.

Its abilities were remarkably unique. Its petals emitted a light that could heal minor wounds, and it could also sense emotions and transmit information.

Sunflower told Qian Hui that, like Timothy, it had been captured by humans who sought to exploit their abilities for various purposes.

Timothy, being both clever and powerful, had escaped easily after only a short confinement.

However, Sunflower never imagined it would return to rescue it.

For the few days they were imprisoned together, the two plants hadn’t grown particularly close. Perhaps Timothy, unable to bear seeing Sunflower exploited by humans, had decided to save it.

Especially since Sunflower possessed healing abilities, which were exceedingly rare in the Doomsday era, Qian Hui knew he had to protect it.

Qian Hui gently stroked the scars on Sunflower’s leaves, cradling it in his arms with heartfelt tenderness.

And so, Sunflower naturally joined Qian Hui’s group. The five plants followed him and Nan Tingjin to a safer area.

Midway through their journey, Qian Hui realized Timothy hadn’t left after all. It was secretly following them.

It wasn’t exactly stalking; Timothy made no attempt to hide its presence, appearing and disappearing around them. Occasionally, it would suddenly approach, glance at Qian Hui and the plants, flick its tail, and dart away.

Every day, Qian Hui would prepare food and place it in a high spot. He’d walk away for a while, then return to find the food gone.

Gradually, Timothy lowered its guard and began playing with Carrot and the others.

Finally, Qian Hui seized his chance. On a particularly sunny afternoon, he managed to touch Timothy’s tail.

One day, he found a cat plushie by the roadside. He removed his bandana and gave it to Timothy, carefully tying it around its neck. Timothy seemed to adore it.

And so, Timothy continued to follow them, becoming, in a way, Qian Hui’s sixth plant companion.

The seventh plant was Nut.

One night, Timothy dragged Nut back from who-knows-where and simply dropped it at Qian Hui’s feet before turning and leaving.

Nut was severely injured and unconscious. Its shell was covered in countless wounds, looking as if it had been gnawed on by zombies. Any later, and it would have perished.

Qian Hui naturally couldn’t leave it to die. This was the most intense use of his ability yet.

Nan Tingjin watched silently, his lips pressed into a thin line, but ultimately didn’t interfere.

Nut finally woke up at noon the next day.

Pomelo was timid and usually very quiet, a well-behaved mutated plant.

The eighth plant was also found by Nut.

That night, Nut was keeping watch with Carnivorous Flower when it heard a rustling sound.

Upon investigating, it found Pomelo curled up in a corner of the ruins, pretending to be dead.

Even after being discovered, Pomelo remained motionless. Nut leaped over and nudged it, assuming it had fainted from fright. Grabbing the leaf on Pomelo’s head, it struggled to drag the plant back.

Qian Hui was asleep, so Nut didn’t wake him. Sunflower came over to check and said Pomelo had no injuries.

The next morning, Pomelo remained motionless, its eyes tightly shut, still in the same position it had been dragged back in the night before.

Timothy arrived on time for breakfast, glanced at Pomelo, and ignored it.

Qian Hui was worried. Sunflower reiterated that Pomelo had no injuries, and if it was merely frightened, they would have to wait for it to wake up on its own. They were unsure whether to move it first.

Some mutated plants had their own territories, like homes they wouldn’t easily leave.

Just then, the aroma of food finally broke Pomelo’s act. It slowly sat up.

Pea shouted excitedly, “Woo!”

It’s awake!

Qian Hui immediately offered some food, trying to appear friendly and gentle.

Pomelo stared blankly, reached out to take the food, and lowered its head to sniff it.

A few minutes later, Timothy watched Pomelo devour the food like it hadn’t eaten in three months. He pushed the leftovers from his own bowl toward it.

Pomelo didn’t hesitate, finishing everything in one go and letting out a loud, satisfied burp.

Qian Hui sighed, patted Pomelo’s head, and offered it some water.

And so, Pomelo stayed by Qian Hui’s side.

Soon after, Qian Hui encountered his ninth, tenth, and eleventh plants.

It began when Nan Tingjin heard about a trading market being set up in the area and decided to check it out, hoping to find some needed supplies.

Disguised, the two entered the market when a flash of red darted toward Qian Hui’s leg.

It was Sweet Pepper, a small plant that stumbled to the ground, scrambled to its feet in a panic, and fled.

Two humans followed closely behind, cursing loudly. In the iron cage they carried were two other plants: Cabbage and Lettuce.

During that period, fueled by certain rhetoric, many humans had begun to hate and capture mutated plants.

These people believed that the emergence of mutated plants was part of the natural disasters. They argued that these plants, having transformed into new animal-like beings, were competing with humans for limited resources. If left unchecked, they warned, widespread famine would ensue.

Sweet Pepper, Cabbage, and Lettuce—these three plants, all vegetables by nature, would have been human food if not for their mutations.

They had been captured to be sold to people who deliberately sought out mutated plants for consumption.

When Qian Hui stumbled upon them, he couldn’t bear to leave them behind. Nan Tingjin, understanding his feelings, proactively purchased Cabbage and Lettuce from their iron cage.

Cabbage trembled violently, desperately trying to pry open the cage to escape, but its strength was insufficient.

Lettuce had already given up struggling, lying listlessly on its back, devoid of life.

The two plants were utterly despondent. But in that moment of despair, when no one else was around, a tiny Carrot popped out from Qian Hui’s pocket…

Later, with the help of the two plants, Carnivorous Flower tracked down Sweet Pepper’s location.

Nan Tingjin cleared away the rubble, and Qian Hui peered inside.

A small Sweet Pepper was hiding there, trembling and sobbing softly from fear and terror. Soon, its whimpers escalated into full-blown wailing.

Realizing they wouldn’t be eaten, the three plants naturally decided to stay.

Sweet Pepper was a crybaby and clung to Qian Hui. Cabbage constantly fought with Carrot, only to be punished together by Carnivorous Flower. Lettuce, being slightly more mature, helped care for Little Mushroom.

Though numerous, the plants were small enough to be squeezed into Qian Hui’s backpack.

At the time, humans hadn’t yet developed instruments to detect the unique auras of mutated plants. Qian Hui could always deceive outsiders.

Moreover, Nan Tingjin’s formidable strength deterred many from provoking him, as they sought to curry favor instead.

Later, the images in Qian Hui’s dreams became increasingly fragmented and indecipherable.

This was likely because unpleasant events had occurred, which he had since forgotten.

Yet even in his amnesia, Qian Hui could vaguely sense what had transpired.

Despite witnessing Sunflower’s capture and Nan Tingjin’s constant warnings to be careful, the human heart remained unpredictable in the Doomsday era. Seemingly perfect individuals harbored hidden schemes, making defense impossible.

The only solace was that Qian Hui had always stayed with his plants. None had been forced to leave him or been abandoned.

Eleven mutated plants… no, ten.

Timothy had successfully escaped. It was the strongest and most cunning of them all.

Yet…

In the end, Timothy returned to Qian Hui’s side.

It had come to rescue him.

—

The dream quietly ended. Qian Hui opened his eyes, feeling as if he had returned from another world.

He looked down and saw Lettuce and Nut sleeping nestled in his arms, with Sweet Pepper squeezed against his leg.

Several other plants were also present: Cabbage lay sprawled on a stool beside the sofa, while Carrot rested on the windowsill.

“Awake?” Nan Tingjin reached out to brush a strand of hair from Qian Hui’s ear. Qian Hui tilted his head sluggishly, nuzzling against Nan Tingjin’s palm.

A flash of light caught his eye as Timothy leaped onto the windowsill, accidentally stepping on Carrot’s stomach.

Carrot instantly woke up, clutching its abdomen and silently scooting to the side.

Timothy flicked its tail. “Woo!”

What time is it? Still sleeping? Where’s my afternoon tea?

White Hydrangea quickly crawled out from behind the sofa, its petals crumpled and disheveled.

Apple rubbed its eyes and said Little Cabbage had already gone to the kitchen.

Timothy huffed and turned to jump off the windowsill.

Qian Hui reached out to it, but he was too slow. “Maomao…”

Nan Tingjin kissed his cheek as he gently removed the plants from Qian Hui’s arms. “I’ll take you there.”

He assumed Qian Hui was also hungry and wanted something to eat.

Qian Hui gazed out the window and nodded. “Mm.”

—

After regaining consciousness, the lingering effects of the potion began to fade much more slowly.

Qian Hui’s limbs felt slightly stiff, especially his fingers, making even buttoning his shirt a slow and deliberate process.

As a result, Nan Tingjin continued to care for him, bathing him, feeding him, and dressing him, much as he had in the days immediately following the incident.

It wasn’t until a full week later that Qian Hui finally began feeding himself.

One night, clutching his pajamas, he stood at the bathroom door, head bowed. “I… I can do it myself.”

Qian Hui had spent the day playing with the plants in the forest and needed a bath. He felt perfectly capable and saw no need for Nan Tingjin’s help.

Nan Tingjin leaned down slightly, asking, “Are you sure?”

The tips of Qian Hui’s ears flushed crimson, and he avoided eye contact. “I’m fine now…”

Nan Tingjin’s expression remained unchanged. “I’m still worried.”

He didn’t insist, though. Instead, he held Qian Hui close for a while, comforting him with soft words and gentle coaxing.

Slowly, Qian Hui lifted his head and kissed him.

They had been lovers for quite some time now, their relationship already well-established.

It’s not like I haven’t showered before… After agonizing for a while, Qian Hui finally agreed and was carried into the bathroom by Nan Tingjin.

The potion’s side effects had completely vanished, and Qian Hui had fully adapted to his new body. The changes were striking.

His physique had become much stronger, his breathing steadier, and he no longer felt the intermittent weakness that had plagued him before.

As a result, Nan Tingjin no longer needed to constantly restrain himself, at least when kissing him.

One night, the Carnivorous Flower suddenly noticed that the Small Wooden Cabin was completely sealed off by a dense layer of trees, so tightly packed that not even a mosquito could squeeze through.

What’s going on now…?

The Carnivorous Flower circled the cabin, finding nothing amiss, and eventually turned back to sleep.

Inside, Qian Hui was being held, half-sprawled against Nan Tingjin, panting softly.

Nan Tingjin kissed away the tears on his face. This was the first time Qian Hui had truly cried since his body began exhibiting zombification traits.

Sobbing, he bit Nan Tingjin.

The base had long since gone dark, but a small bedside lamp cast a warm yellow glow over a patch of the rumpled bed.

Nan Tingjin kissed Qian Hui again and took him to the bathroom for another shower.

The next day, Qian Hui woke up late, not eating breakfast until almost noon.

He looked tired, as if he hadn’t fully woken up yet, but when asked, he simply said he was fine.

Little Mushroom, ever innocent and worried about Qian Hui, was quickly whisked away by Carnivorous Flower to avoid disturbing him and Nan Tingjin.

Qian Hui sipped his soup, his gaze fixed on the Game Interface.

[ Faction Base ]

[ Base Leader: Nan Tingjin (Intimacy: 101%) ]

Qian Hui stared at the intimacy percentage for a moment, his cheeks flushing slightly.

In the following days, the plants were warned by Carnivorous Flower to never approach the Small Wooden Cabin when the door was closed, lest they provoke Nan Tingjin’s wrath.

Eggplant hugged its pillow, shivering, adjusted its sleeping cap, and nestled against Big Peanut.

During the days after Qian Hui recovered, he indeed spent most of his time with Nan Tingjin.

Sweet Pepper often grumbled behind their backs, resenting Nan Tingjin for monopolizing Qian Hui and leaving him with no time to play.

Perhaps Nan Tingjin had a rare moment of conscience, for on this particular afternoon, the door to the Small Wooden Cabin remained open during naptime.

Nut waited in place for a while, making sure the door wouldn’t close, then rolled over with a “guruguru” sound.

The other plants soon arrived, each finding its usual spot to sleep.

In the afternoon, Qian Hui led the plants on a walk through the forest, hoping to find edible wild herbs along the way.

During a rest stop, Qian Hui held Timothy, adjusting its headscarf as he told them about his dream.

The dream, too, was about him and his eleven plant companions, featuring Carnivorous Flower, Carrot, Cabbage… yet they were somehow different from the plants he knew now.

Sunflower stood quietly by Qian Hui’s side, Carrot was lost in thought, and Sweet Pepper huffed indignantly.

How could I be a crybaby?! I’m not a crybaby at all!

Cabbage gestured wildly with its hands, its eyes wide with shock.

What?! The other me was only as big as Little Cabbage?!

Little Mushroom clung tightly to Carnivorous Flower’s leaf, still shaken, while Nut turned to look at Pomelo.

Pomelo leaned motionless against a tree trunk, completely wrapped in leaves, seemingly already asleep.

Lettuce somehow produced a small recliner and chewed thoughtfully on a blade of grass. Big Pea brazenly squeezed in beside it, wanting to share the seat.

Timothy nestled in Qian Hui’s arms, its tail swaying gently behind it.

Hmph, a bunch of dimwits.

Qian Hui deliberately left the story unfinished, only mentioning that the dream ended.

The plants didn’t suspect a thing. Once they were sufficiently rested, Carnivorous Flower helped lift the basket overflowing with wild herbs, and they prepared to descend the mountain.

Nut had grown larger and rolled ahead, flattening the path.

The other plants followed closely behind Qian Hui, escorting him down the mountain.

Nan Tingjin was waiting at the foot of the mountain. Carnivorous Flower delivered Qian Hui to his side, watching as the two departed together.

After reaching the bottom, Sweet Pepper, still preoccupied with Qian Hui’s story, ran to Chili Pepper to ask if it was a crybaby.

Chili Pepper, who had just finished teaching a literacy lesson to a group of plants, patted Sweet Pepper’s head and said, “Woo woo!”

Of course not!

(END)