novelraw Chapter 217
Chapter 217
Outside the shopping center, at some point, the rain had stopped.
Ten minutes after Yan Ya’s group went upstairs, Yu Xi, who had been leaning against the wall, suddenly turned to Shen Qiu. “Are you going now?”
She was referring to whether Shen Qiu wanted to take the shortcut to gather supplies. Shen Qiu immediately nodded and turned to look at the others.
Mu Keli hugged the backpack strapped to her chest and took a step back, her body language making it clear that she was on high alert and unwilling to go.
Zhuo Yun, who had been sitting nearby, frowned in thought before standing up and telling the others to wait—she would go check things out first. A boy who seemed close to her grabbed her hand and whispered something, but she impatiently shook him off.
She picked up the long iron rod beside her and said, “Let’s go.”
Shen Qiu turned to Mu Keli again. “Keli, I can’t explain everything to you right now, but trust me—come with me! Didn’t you say you wanted to grab as many snacks as possible?”
Mu Keli shook her head. “Yan Ya doesn’t trust her, and I don’t either. And if you still consider me a friend, then don’t go.”
Shen Qiu understood. In the apocalypse, being cautious was a good thing. But from the very start, it was Yan Ya who had judged Yu Xi to be well-equipped, assumed she was out alone searching for supplies, and decided to follow her, even suggesting cooperation.
Yet in the end, it was also Yan Ya who was overly suspicious, refusing to trust her and rejecting her guidance. If he truly didn’t trust her, then why propose cooperation in the first place? Yu Xi had no obligation to resolve their trust issues for them.
In Shen Qiu’s view, if they were really that cautious, they should have planned everything carefully with their own team from the start, relying on themselves instead of hoping for someone else’s help. Yan Ya was intelligent, but sometimes he was too confident, believing only in his own judgment. And Mu Keli, in turn, blindly trusted Yan Ya.
Mu Keli had grown up in a privileged family, always protected. Even in the apocalypse, she hadn’t suffered much hardship because Yan Ya and Shen Qiu had been looking out for her. She had grown accustomed to taking Yan Ya’s opinions as her own, even using them to avoid facing reality, choosing instead to rely entirely on him.
If the roles were reversed, if Mu Keli had been the one insisting that Shen Qiu trust her, Shen Qiu would have chosen to believe her without hesitation.
A faint sense of disappointment settled in Shen Qiu’s heart. She had known Mu Keli for so long—they had studied together, eaten together, shared their joys and sorrows, like sisters. Yet, all of that was no match for Mu Keli’s short-lived romance with Yan Ya over the past few months…
She didn’t try persuading her again. Instead, she picked up her weapon and followed Zhuo Yun.
Behind them, Mu Keli’s frustrated voice rang out, declaring that from now on, they were no longer friends.
Shen Qiu didn’t respond, nor did she look back. She simply stepped forward and entered the dense thicket of vines.
It wasn’t that Shen Qiu wasn’t afraid—far from it. The overwhelming number of plants around her made her nervous. She barely dared to breathe heavily. Yet, strangely, the vines, which would normally lash out and entangle people upon sensing movement, remained completely still.
Zhuo Yun appeared calm on the surface, but inside, she was equally shocked. By the time the three of them reached the checkout area, she extended her hand toward Yu Xi with an easy-going smile. “Hi, I’m Zhuo Yun.”
Yu Xi shook her hand and smiled. “Nice to meet you. I’m… your Fairy Godmother.”
“…” Zhuo Yun immediately pulled down her mask, revealing a cracked expression. “What?”
Shen Qiu whispered helpfully, “She said she’s the Fairy Godmother…”
Zhuo Yun: …
The shopping center was massive, so the supermarket didn’t need to be placed underground. Instead, the basement was entirely dedicated to parking, with additional parking space available on the rooftop, accessible via ramps on either side of the building.
The supermarket occupied a corner of the first and second floors. The entrance was on the second floor, where packaged foods, instant meals, snacks, appliances, and household items were stocked.
The first floor had once housed fresh produce, meat, dairy, and imported snacks, but these had been among the first supplies to be raided when the apocalypse began. The remaining perishables had long since spoiled.
The supermarket had been overrun by plants for a long time. The electricity had long since failed, leaving the interior pitch black. A thick layer of dried leaves covered the ground, crunching sharply underfoot with every step.
Even through their masks, they could smell the scent of rotting food. Fortunately, with the cold snap just ending and the temperature still hovering around 3–4 degrees Celsius, the stench wasn’t yet unbearable.
Zhuo Yun’s flashlight had long since run out of batteries, so she pulled out a lighter for illumination. Shen Qiu, lacking even that, scoured the area for dry twigs she could use to light a fire.
Seeing this, Yu Xi casually tossed them each a flashlight, then picked up a small camping lantern for herself. As the two of them thanked her, she gestured for them to hurry up—get what they needed and leave as soon as possible, returning to the high-rise building where they had previously taken shelter.
Sensing something off, Shen Qiu hesitated. “Sister, is something wrong?”
Under the dim glow of the lantern, Yu Xi’s expression was solemn. “We need to get back before the next heavy rain starts.”
Zhuo Yun’s senses sharpened. “What’s going to happen when it rains again?”
“Trust me and just move quickly.”
Zhuo Yun hesitated for two seconds before turning to Shen Qiu, who immediately nodded vigorously.
“Alright. Thank you! We’ll be quick!” Zhuo Yun grabbed Shen Qiu’s wrist and broke into a jog toward the upper level of the supermarket.
Upstairs, the plants were even more densely packed than on the lower level. Thick vines hung from the ceiling and walls, some stretching downward, coiling around the shelves.
The sight instinctively made Zhuo Yun and Shen Qiu slow their movements. But after cautiously taking a few steps, they realized that the vines showed no reaction to their presence.
Their path was far from where Yan Ya’s group had taken the escalator. Between them lay several twists and turns, and the entrance to the escalator was completely blocked by a wall of plants. From a distance, it looked like a solid green barrier, and even the plant species there seemed different.
For some reason, it seemed like all the plants on the second floor had gathered in one place, pressing tightly together.
The shelves still had some leftover supplies. Scattered across the floor were instant noodles and canned meat. They also found different types of batteries in the appliance section.
The two quickly split up, opening their backpacks and stuffing in everything useful they could find.
Canned meat, vacuum-sealed food, knives, batteries, spare flashlights, small first-aid kits, clean underwear, sanitary pads, loose tissue packs—anything compact yet essential, they took without hesitation.
The area was a mess, with piles of trash and scattered items everywhere. Even a crushed bar of chocolate was a valuable find to them.
On one of the shelves, they found several student backpacks. Each of them grabbed one and continued stuffing them with supplies.
Considering that her teammates were still waiting outside, Zhuo Yun quickly greeted Shen Qiu before speeding up her movements. She hastily stuffed some supplies into her backpack and then sprinted downstairs at full speed.
Seeing her emerge safely, the others let out a sigh of relief. Even the boy she had pushed away earlier wasn’t upset anymore and stepped forward to help her carry her things.
“You have ten minutes. Run inside, go up to the second floor, and fill your backpacks! Immediately!”
These people were originally part of her own team, so they knew her well. Seeing her give such a serious order, they stopped asking questions and rushed into the vine-covered area without hesitation.
Mu Keli, watching them, grew anxious. She wanted to gather supplies but didn’t dare go upstairs. She was also too proud to follow the others inside, so she simply stood there, anxiously stomping her feet in frustration.
At that moment, footsteps and voices came from outside—it was a group of survivors from nearby buildings approaching.
Compared to the student group, these people were in a far worse state. They didn’t even have protective gear, their faces were covered in dirt, and their skin was pale and sallow, clear signs of prolonged starvation.
As soon as they entered the shopping center and saw Mu Keli and Zhuo Yun, who was holding a weapon, they stopped in their tracks, warily eyeing the two.
The standoff was broken when Yu Xi’s calm voice rang out. “You’re here for supplies, right? Turn left, go through the vine-covered area, and you can enter directly from the supermarket checkout area.”
No one saw where she had gotten it from, but Yu Xi was holding an advertising board. She turned the blank side toward the entrance and took out a brush pen and a small can of red paint from her backpack. Without hesitation, she started writing on the board.
The group of survivors exchanged confused glances, momentarily unsure of how to react.
Yu Xi swiftly drew an arrow pointing left, then turned back to them. “There’s still food inside. Remember—do not attack any plants, and do not fight over supplies. If you follow these rules, you’ll be able to enter and leave safely.”
She then gestured toward Zhuo Yun’s backpack as proof.
The survivors didn’t fully understand what was happening, but the mention of food caught their attention immediately. Seeing Zhuo Yun’s bulging backpack only reinforced the message.
“Should we go, Kun-ge?” one of them asked cautiously.
“Go! My parents and my daughter are starving—we can’t hesitate anymore!” The man clenched a rusty kitchen knife, the only real weapon in their group. However, after a brief thought, he removed the scarf from around his neck and wrapped the blade, concealing it. Then, he grabbed a steel pipe from the rubble of a nearby collapsed building. With his makeshift weapon secured, he led his group into the vine-covered area.
Watching them disappear into the greenery, Zhuo Yun smirked. “Pretty smart. He must have understood what Yu Xi was warning about. A kitchen knife is dangerous—it could harm the plants or start a fight, so he swapped it for a steel pipe instead.”
Yu Xi worked quickly, writing out a clear and concise message on the signboard, ensuring it was visible and easy to understand. Then, she placed the board at the entrance for any future arrivals.
Shortly after the survivors entered, Shen Qiu emerged from the supermarket. She was running, carrying two heavy backpacks, with an extra piece of clothing tied to one of the straps. The moment she stopped, she yanked down her mask and panted heavily.
Not long after, Zhuo Yun’s teammates also returned, all of them carrying full bags of supplies.
In this world, resources meant survival. None of them had expected that gathering food and essentials would be this easy. Their faces were filled with excitement and relief.
Seeing that everyone Zhuo Yun had sent in had now returned, Yu Xi urged them to leave. “The roads should still be safe for now. Go back before the rain starts.”
Before Zhuo Yun could respond, Mu Keli immediately objected. “We can’t leave! Yan Ya and the others aren’t back yet!”
Yu Xi tilted her head slightly, listening. From the sounds above, Yan Ya’s group hadn’t even reached the supermarket entrance yet—they were still lost in the green labyrinth outside.
They were lucky. At least they hadn’t run into the “big ones” that lurked on the upper floors. Of course, it was also possible that those creatures were only interested in plants and not people.
Otherwise, given what Yu Xi had previously observed of their strength, Yan Ya’s group would have been yanked out like fruit from a tree and devoured in seconds.
Zhuo Yun hesitated. Her important teammates were all here, and they had secured supplies. Leaving now made sense. But abandoning Yan Ya and heading back on her own felt somewhat wrong.
Yan Ya was smart and courageous, but he rarely listened to other people’s advice. He preferred making decisions on his own—just like earlier when he split their tasks without even discussing it with her first.
Mu Keli, seeing Zhuo Yun’s hesitation, grew desperate. “Say something! You can’t do this! We all came here together, and now you’re just taking your supplies and leaving? But Yan Ya is still up there… Shen Qiu, say something!”
Yu Xi’s voice cut through the argument. “The situation has changed. Those of you with supplies should leave now. If you wait, I can’t guarantee your safety.”
She spoke in a calm tone, but there was a weight to her words that made everyone pause.
Moments ago, she had sensed something strange in the city’s soil.
Beneath the cracked pavement, countless seeds she had once touched were waking up. They were restless. They craved growth. They craved rain.
Their anticipation made them volatile.
It was April—spring, the season of renewal. The same plants that had covered the city overnight in autumn and winter… what would they do now, in their true growing season?
There were far too many seeds. If they all sprouted at once, she wouldn’t be able to control them.
Shen Qiu shivered. She had witnessed Yu Xi’s abilities before—the way she vanished into thin air, the way she stood in freezing temperatures without so much as a shiver. Yet now, when everything outside seemed calm, she looked genuinely tense.
This made Shen Qiu extremely uneasy.
Zhuo Yun sensed the shift too. She frowned and turned to one of her teammates. “Go check the stairwell. Be careful. Don’t get too close.”
The teammate set his backpack down, grabbed his weapon, and quickly ran up the escalator. He returned moments later, breathless.
“Senior, the stairwell itself is clear, but the path near the supermarket entrance is full of vines. They’re moving. There are also a lot of brightly colored flowers—some unfamiliar, some… carnivorous.”
“Where’s Yan Ya? Did you see them?” Mu Keli demanded, rushing forward.
“I didn’t see them.”
Zhuo Yun gripped her weapon. “Then we—”
She was cut off by a sudden outburst.
Mu Keli snapped, her voice shrill and furious. “This is all your fault! You’re so selfish! You stayed here where it was safe while sending Yan Ya up to risk his life! You used him as your meat shield to clear the way! You’re nothing but a manipulative slut, using your looks to make men risk their lives for you!”
A sharp slap echoed through the air, silencing Mu Keli instantly.
She stood there, stunned. “You—you hit me?”
In response, Zhuo Yun slapped her again—harder. The impact knocked Mu Keli off balance, and she fell to the ground, her right cheek swelling immediately.
“Yes, I hit you. I’ve had enough of your nonsense.” Zhuo Yun flexed her fingers, shaking off the sting, then sneered.
“Are you stupid? You think I sent them up there? You think I used them? You think I flirt with men for protection? Mu Keli, is your brain filled with nothing but men?”
“You cry and scream whenever Yan Ya looks at another girl. Do you think he’s your pet? Why don’t you just put a leash on him?”
“Look at yourself! Since we left school, what have you actually done for this team? Have you found a single useful item? Killed a single mutant creature? You can’t even light a fire without almost burning a whole room down! You’re a useless freeloader with no survival skills, and you dare call me the selfish one?”
Since Zhuo Yun had already spoken, she had no intention of backing down. “Let me tell you something. I was planning to take my teammates up there to rescue Yan Ya. We’re part of the same group—since we came out together, we should return together! But now? Thanks to you, you idiot, I’ve completely given up on saving him! If he makes it back alive, pass along this message for me—this team is done. We’re splitting up!”
After finishing her rant, she turned away, calling for her teammates to leave. When she spotted Shen Qiu standing to the side, her tone was sharp. “What about you? Are you staying behind with your ‘best friend,’ or are you coming with us?”
“Wait a moment,” Shen Qiu said before walking over to Mu Keli. She took off the backpack slung across her chest and placed it in front of her. “Two bags of supplies. One is for you. I know you said we’re no longer friends out of anger—it’s just like before, when you’ve said things you don’t really mean…”
She paused, swallowing down the rest of her thoughts. “Keep the supplies. This is all I can do for you.”
Then, she walked back to Zhuo Yun’s side and turned to Yu Xi. “Sister, please be careful!”
“Let’s go!” At Zhuo Yun’s command, the group grabbed their backpacks and weapons and swiftly left the shopping center.
Mu Keli stared in disbelief at their retreating figures. She couldn’t believe they were really leaving her behind. She stood there, frozen, staring at the backpack in front of her. Tears welled in her eyes as she choked out a few cries of “Come back!” But this time, her friend didn’t turn around.
She thought of the black-clad woman, but when she turned to look, Yu Xi was nowhere to be seen either.
Angry and desperate, Mu Keli yanked up the backpack, wanting to throw it away in frustration. But she hesitated—these past few days, they had run out of food, and she hadn’t eaten properly. This bag of supplies was too important. In the end, she clutched it tightly, unwilling to let go.
Yu Xi had a pretty good idea of what was going on with the flowers on the second floor. Among the many vines in the area, this was the only species with lethal capabilities.
Certain sections of the second floor had open ceilings for aesthetic design, connecting it to the third and fourth floors. At the very top, there was a glass ceiling.
The mutant elephants liked the snow but hated the rain. At this moment, they were all hiding on the fourth floor, bringing them dangerously close to the aggressive plants on the second floor.
Several long trunks dangled from the railings of the fourth floor, some as short as one or two meters, others extending as far as four or five meters. They looked like rough concrete pipes—if one ignored the way they occasionally stretched down to provoke the plants below.
The elephants didn’t seem particularly hungry. They lazily swung their trunks, eating whatever leaves or fruits they managed to grab. Oh, wait—there were no more fruits left. The ones outside had already been eaten, while the remaining ones were fiercely guarded by the dense foliage at the entrance to the supermarket.
As for the jagged-edged flowers, they could hardly harm the elephants’ thick skin.
Given this situation, how could Yan Ya and his group possibly enter the supermarket from the second floor? The fact that they weren’t already dead was likely because the plants were holding back—for her sake.
The once-menacing flowers immediately trembled when they saw Yu Xi approach, looking weak, pitiful, and helpless. Even the carnivorous blooms, large enough to swallow a human arm whole, quivered like fragile roses in the wind.
Yu Xi: …
“I get it, I get it. Keep your scent down, you stink…” The smell of the carnivorous flowers was truly awful.
She had come to fulfill her promise—to lure away the mutant elephants.
Earlier, she hadn’t gotten a clear look, but now she realized why these creatures were able to bully the plants so effectively. Their trunks had developed retractable functions, allowing them to extend up to six or seven meters when necessary.
From her Starhouse storage, she pulled out a few scattered bananas and tossed them toward the third floor. Almost instantly, multiple trunks whipped through the air, snatching every single banana before they could hit the ground.
A second later, several enormous, furry faces peeked over the fourth-floor railing. Their previously lifeless eyes suddenly lit up with excitement, their trunks swinging happily as they smacked their lips.
Yu Xi sprinted toward the escalator on the far side, swiftly climbing up to the fourth floor. Just as the mutant elephants charged toward her, she hurled two thick slabs of ice onto the ground. Then, in one fluid motion, she leaped onto the first floating ice slab and used its momentum to propel herself onto the second.
Her ice abilities flared to life. The second slab carried her higher, lifting her through the shattered glass ceiling of the shopping center. Then, she skated across the rain-slick rooftop, gliding toward the edge of the building.
Behind her, heavy footsteps thundered as the mutant elephants barreled onto the rooftop, their trunks flailing wildly.
Yu Xi tossed another handful of bananas behind her before jumping onto the spiraling ramp that led to the parking area. Using the fruit as bait, she lured the elephants away, following her preplanned route. Eventually, she led them to the northern stadium on the outskirts of the city.
This location was strategic. If even the mutant elephants couldn’t withstand the changes coming to the city, they could simply migrate north, where the environment would be more suitable for them.
Yu Xi moved fast. Luring the elephants and returning to the shopping center would take her at most an hour.
Back at the supermarket, the news had spread—certain plant-covered pathways did not attack humans. Survivors who had endured the heavy snow and freezing temperatures in nearby buildings were now rushing in, frantically looting the remaining supplies.
At that moment, Yan Ya and his group were finally spit out of the plant labyrinth.
Their bodies were covered in cuts and scratches from the serrated flower petals. The wounds weren’t severe, but their protective gear was torn to shreds, leaving them looking utterly battered.
Yan Ya was questioning Mu Keli about what had happened, unaware that they had completely lost their opportunity to gather supplies.
Mu Keli, on the other hand, had been clinging to him, sobbing uncontrollably since the moment he reappeared. She had been wailing for so long that she still hadn’t actually explained anything.
Or perhaps—she wasn’t trying to explain.
Mu Keli wasn’t stupid.
She was spoiled, but she knew exactly how to use her charm. She knew she was cute, came from a wealthy family, and that before the apocalypse, a simple pout and a whiny complaint could get her anything she wanted—from both boys and girls.
She had known that Yan Ya had liked her for two years. But given his background, she had never seriously considered him. She had never openly rejected him either—she made sure to stay just sweet enough, occasionally giving him food she didn’t like, so he would always remember her kindness.
When the apocalypse began and they were forced to flee, she allowed him to become her boyfriend. She still remembered the excitement and gratitude in his eyes when she agreed.
In her mind, she had lowered herself to be with him. That meant he should prioritize her above all else—worship her, protect her, and never question her.
She had kept Shen Qiu close because, deep down, she considered her inferior. She hated Zhuo Yun because her beauty was too bold, too eye-catching—unlike her own soft, cute charm.
She didn’t know when things had started to fall apart. First, her whining stopped working. Then, even her tears lost their power.
In the past, when she had made a mistake, crying had always led Yan Ya to compromise and forgive her.
And so now, she wept softly in his arms, carefully crafting an image of helplessness and vulnerability.
Outside the shopping center, a deafening clap of thunder echoed. Moments later, heavy rain poured down in torrents.
The returning survivors froze as they heard a strange rustling beneath them—something stirring in the cracks of the broken pavement.
Those with keen survival instincts immediately shouted, “Run! Get back to shelter!”
Others hesitated, staring at the ground in horror.
A moment later, a chunk of cement was pushed upward.
From the tiny crevice, a delicate green sprout emerged, breaking through the surface.
It was like the growth process had been accelerated countless times. The seedling trembled and stretched slightly, curiously brushing against the man’s foot. Then, in the next second, something soil-yellow, web-like, shot out from beneath the seedling at lightning speed, piercing deep into his calf.
The man let out a scream as his calf was rapidly ensnared by the web-like, soil-colored tendrils that kept emerging, wrapping around his leg like a spider cocooning its prey.
At this moment, humans had become the prey of plants.
A sharp flash of a blade sliced through the air, severing all the tendrils piercing into the man’s leg.
He looked up to see a black-clad woman standing in the heavy rain, yet the raindrops did not touch her. She wore a gray-black mask, and in her hand, she wielded a Tang Dao—a curved Chinese blade that had just saved his life.
“Run! Stick to the ground where no plants have sprouted and get back to the shelter—don’t stop moving!”
She reached out and pulled him up. The man stammered a quick “thank you” before scrambling away in a panic.
Just a few steps away, at the entrance of the shopping center, the survivors who had come earlier for supplies stood frozen with their full backpacks. They had all witnessed the terrifying scene just now. Staring at the torrential rain outside and the countless green seedlings sprouting from the cracks in the ground, their faces were filled with unease.
“Everyone, run! Before all the seeds sprout, get to a sturdy or higher floor!” Yu Xi’s sharp voice cut through the chaotic scene, giving a clear command amid the confusion.
Yes, those web-like tendrils could only reach ankle height for now, and they only attacked stationary targets. As long as they ran fast enough, they could make it back safely.
The first person rushed into the rain, followed by a second, then a third. Eventually, even Yan Ya, whom Mu Keli had been clinging to, led his teammates into the running crowd.
Compared to the others, Yan Ya’s group was the only one empty-handed, but given the current situation, they could no longer afford to waste time searching the supermarket. Survival came first.
As the others ran into the rain, Yu Xi entered the second floor of the shopping center.
Though the plants here were also becoming restless due to the rain, they had survived through a long cold period. For now, they remained stable and showed no signs of rampaging.
Wherever she walked, the vines automatically parted to make way for her. The second floor was mostly filled with clothing stores, shoe and bag boutiques, and bedding shops.
Inside the stores, most of the shelves had already been cleared. She found a small storage room in one of the shops and gathered whatever usable items remained.
As for the supermarket, she already knew through the vines that the supplies had been taken by the survivors. There was no point in going in.
She wasn’t short on resources, but she didn’t want anything to go to waste. With so much open space around the shopping center, the sheer number of rapidly growing seedlings made it clear what this place would soon become.
After finishing on the second floor, she moved up to the third. This floor housed several children’s play areas, toy and clothing stores, a few restaurants, and two outdoor camping gear shops.
These stores were among the first to shut down after the outbreak of plant and animal mutations. Many store owners had risked coming back to take their goods, but in their haste, they had left things behind.
Yu Xi collected a significant amount of camping gear—pots, pans, folding tables and chairs, portable gas stoves, and several boxes of spare gas canisters.
By the time she was done, the empty lot outside the shopping center was already teeming with rapidly growing plants.
Barberry, small-leaf elm, multiple-bloom roses, oaks… Both deciduous shrubs and towering trees were sprouting.
The greenery stretched endlessly, growing densely at different heights, filling the air with a singular message: nutrients.
They needed nutrients.
And to them, any living creature was a source of nourishment.
Yu Xi frowned and disappeared from sight in an instant.
On the Starhouse rooftop, Yu Xi and her parents silently observed the changes unfolding in the city below.
Grasslands revived, plants flourished.
Words once used to describe the vibrant beauty of spring now carried an unsettling, eerie weight.
For the first time, Yu Xi witnessed the entire process of plants growing unchecked.
Thick vines coiled around the base of buildings, climbing like gigantic tentacles, twisting and winding up the structures, breaking through walls, and snaking out from shattered windows.
Inside some buildings, people screamed and fled upwards, desperately trying to escape. It wasn’t until they reached the seventh or eighth floors that they managed to avoid the vines’ reach.
The cracked cement ruins of the streets were now swallowed in a dense blanket of green. The city was vanishing beneath a sea of plants.
Animals that had taken refuge inside buildings were startled awake. Several deer leapt from a window of a nearby structure, but as soon as one landed, it was ensnared by thick, soil-colored tendrils.
These tendrils were much thicker than the ones Yu Xi had cut earlier.
The deer struggled violently, hooves scraping against the pavement, but it was hopeless. Its legs were tangled up, and soon, it collapsed, unable to move.
The roots had fused into a massive underground network, their origins indistinguishable.
The moment one root latched onto a target, all the connected roots absorbed nutrients through it.
The captured creature was drained within moments, its blood sucked dry, leaving behind an empty husk that was soon wrapped in layers of roots—its body transformed into a living nutrient source for the plants.
At this moment, Yu Xi and her parents did not yet realize—this wasn’t just happening in their city.
It was occurring all over the planet.
In tropical regions, the effect was less extreme since the climate had remained stable, allowing previous plant life to survive.
But in northern regions above the 30-degree latitude, where winter had wiped out most vegetation, people had rejoiced at the return of spring, only to be met with a full-scale plant uprising.
This growth was something even many mutant animals couldn’t withstand.
Yu Xi’s plant-affinity abilities—normally able to communicate with and pacify plants—had little to no effect.
This was a stage of pure, unrestrained growth. For now, she had lost control.
One day and one night later, the entire city was engulfed in a green tsunami.
Wild grass shot up over two meters high, swallowing everything below the third floor of buildings. Anything below the sixth floor was completely enveloped in vines.
Some seeds, for unknown reasons, had taken root on rooftops and begun growing downward, cascading over buildings like living waterfalls.
From the wilderness outside the city, animal roars echoed, sometimes accompanied by explosions.
In the sky, fighter jets roared past, their mission unknown.
On the Starhouse rooftop, Yu Xi’s mother, Fan Qi, walked over and gently ruffled her daughter’s hair.
“Why are you up here again? Did you brush your teeth and wash your face?” she asked with a soft smile. “I made pork and shepherd’s purse wontons this morning, using chicken broth. Come down and have breakfast.”
Yu Xi murmured in agreement, then turned and hugged her mother, resting her head against her shoulder.
That night, as Yu Xi lay in bed, the whispering rustle of plants growing outside kept her awake.
Just before midnight, as she was drifting off, she suddenly heard a faint tapping sound outside Starhouse’s walls.
It was a slow, deliberate knocking.
As if something was testing the broken wall outside.