Chapter 73 - Dodder
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临渊慕鱼 update:2022-07-22 17:49
Dodder = parasitic vine with seeds used in medicine
Sharp nails moving rhythmically, it was Shao Qing’s first time multitasking. On one hand she kept the vines wrapped around the zombie on the other hand she was rushing over to assist Er Dai in battling the zombie.
When they were fighting, Shao Qing kept on trying to attack it’s throat, head, all life threatening areas. But only received a mock smile, until she finally attacked the zombies eyes. Finally his first time dodging.
Shao Qing’s eyes brightened. Exchanging communication without speaking they both worked together to attack the eyes. Finally when it was going round and round they were able to blind one of its eyes.
On the spot, the giant zombie began to howl. Before Shao Qing could take a breather, she could hear rustling sounds from outside.
Lifting her head, she saw 5-6 baby zombies with umbilical cords still attached crawling over like monkeys.
Their eyes were massive. The way they stared at people was especially terrifying, only emitting a crying sound.
Shao Qing suddenly understood why there were holes on the stomachs of the women. These monsters must have crawled out of their bodies.
Since they had all crawled out of their wombs, why weren’t they adorable like her Xiao Baozi? So, they might as well go die.
The monkey like babies continued to wail as they advanced forward, then as soon as they came close to Shao Qing they would be captured by a vine and fed to the man eating flower……
The man eating flower lazily spread out its massive leaves. Taking the babies that were attempting to approach Shao Qing it would either swat it aside or bring it towards it and swallow it whole. This made Shao Qing a bit worried that it might have indigestion.
It’s appetite especially good, the man eating flower swallowed quite a few. As soon as they entered its mouth, the man eating flower would automatically ooze out venom and paralysis quickly dissolving them. The man eating flower hadn’t been able to eat this well in ages, so after digesting them it happily twisted and turned.
The giant zombie seeing that its final helpers were being swatted like balls or picked up and eaten attempted to run away.
But Shao Qing’s vines did not overlook him. Every torn vine was replaced by a new one causing the giant zombie to go crazy. Opening its mouth, it spat out a cotton like object towards Shao Qing and Er Dai’s body.
Although Shao Qing had her guard up, she wasn’t able to completely block it. Biting her teeth, she threw herself onto the zombies back and held on like her vines. Even Er Dai jumped on holding onto the zombie.
Holding on to her military knife she savagely stabbed it towards the zombies eye. One stab after another, black blood was sputtering out causing the zombie to scream like mad.
Shao Qing already sensed that within her body, something was expanding. It was like when she had placed a seed within someone else’s body. That instant that it exploded and they turned into a vegetative state, that kind of feeling.
She knew that she couldn’t delay it for even a minute longer. Thus she began to fiercely stab at the eye socket, so strongly she pierced through the zombies skull. One blade after another, soon his skull had become like a hive nest.
Finally the zombie was dead, but it was still tightly fasten in place by the vines and Er Dai with it’s skull punctured through over and over while it was alive by Shao Qing.
After, Shao Qing kicked its body aside. She pulled Er Dai over and inserted her hand into Er Dais abdominal cavity.
Er Dai did not put up a resistance at all. Confused, it just looked at Shao Qing innocently and allowed Shao Qing to feel about his abdominal cavity. After groping around for a bit, she abruptly drew out her hand. When she finally withdrew, there was a fine dodder.
That kind of plant was like vines that would exploit other structures and creep up other plants. Moreover upon contact, this vegetation would extend sharp thorns to puncture the epidermis to absorb nutrients to supply itself.
Finally the things that they would climb due to deficiency of nourishment would gradually die. Afterwards these dodders would go look for other nearby living things.
In brief, this was a hateful vegetation.
After taking out the dodder, there was still another dodder on Er Dais body that had grown. Shao Qing clenched her teeth, using a military knife to make a wound on her body, she once again reached into Er Dai’s abdominal cavity.
Sure enough, that dodder followed Shao Qing’s wound and climbed into her body. Er Dai suddenly grabbed onto Shao Qing’s arm trying to pull it out. He probably was aware of Shao Qing’s intentions.
Conversely, Shao Qing grabbed Er Dai’s hand: “Don’t move, I’m a wood elemental. I have a plan on how to take care of them. You just obediently behave yourself…… I’m hurt……”
Er Dai instantly became motionless, at a loss of what to do, he didn’t dare move an inch. It seemed as if he didn’t realize that a hole was made on his stomach, the only thing he could think about was Shao Qing’s wound on her arm.
When Er Dai’s body finally didn’t contain any dodder, Shao Qing thenlet out a sigh of relief. Taking her arm out, she pushed Er Dai: “Go take a look at Cheng Jiao, I’m going to see if I can get rid of it.”
Er Dai didn’t move. Without blinking he squatted down beside Shao Qing to watch her. He was rather stubborn, this was especially the case for instances of leaving Shao Qing. Stubborn as an ox, even if it was Shao Qing, there was still nothing that can be done to convince him.
Shao Qing could only give up. Ignoring the stabbing pains caused by the dodder, she began to use her wood elemental energies to link up with those dodders.
Since those dodders had lost their master, they completely lacked any misgivings to multiply and grow. While Shao Qing’s wood elemental energy was all plant vegetations favourite, the dodder was no exception. Except for the beginning, once they made an investigative contact, they would absolutely throw themselves towards the wood elemental energy.
Waiting until they had been wrapped around by the wood elemental energy, then did Shao Qing urge the energy to attack the dodder within it.
Originally Shao Qing wanted to eliminate these dodders upon initial contact, but discovered that they were rather tenacious, growing continuously. With that speed of growth, it would’ve taken Shao Qing a month to get rid of them.
Finally giving up on that approach, she subdued the dodder. She was increasing ranks later anyways and still hadn’t find her third vegetation yet.
Although dodders weren’t that effective in dealing with zombies, dealing with humans on the contrary they were extremely useful. One or two dodder seeds were so minute that they wouldn’t even realize they had been affected.
This was a good item that can have her practically living at their house but able to kill everyone.
After subduing the dodder, Shao Qing’s face paled substantially into a terrifying state. Walking towards Cheng Jiao, Cheng jiao had already expressionlessly used her fractured right arm to reconnect her left arm into place.
The snapping sound was especially terrifying.
“Are you okay?” Shao Qing gently asked.
Cheng Jiao replied with a raspy voice: “Lend me knife.”
Volume 3 73 The real doomsday
In the end, they still didn’t understand what kind of method the person secretly used to create these high-rank zombies. The only thing they could see was that there was a very special energy fluctuation in the crystal core of these zombies.
No matter whether it was the zombies or those zombie beasts, they were all products of human experiments.
Shao Qing stroked her chin: “Next time we will come back with two live ones, then we will study it again.”
The two men nodded, then Shao Qing and Yan Qiyue left the laboratory. Yan Qiyue went to take a bath. After just finishing the experiment, there was still a smell of rot and blood on him.
It smelled a bit unpleasant, let alone Shao Qing, he couldn’t stand it himself.
Yan Qiyue was in the shower, while Shao Qing sat on the couch reading a book. Xiao Baozi at this time ran in: “Mama, have a look. An uncle who is a little handsome sent over a letter.”
Then he handed Shao Qing a letter, “Thank you baby.” Shao Qing opened the letter and found that it was from Jing Du, it was not good news.
Soon after Shao Qing left, the outside situation began to deteriorate. The pollution of water sources became more and more serious. This is because the land was irrigated with polluted water, so the land was also polluted.
The vegetables that had just grown out, although there were certain toxins, at least seem to be intact. But now, as long as you cut the vegetables apart, you will find that the heart of the vegetable was rotten.
Losing vegetables and grains grown on the land, an important source of human food, immediately caused people to panic. In this case, they could only eat the grain that was previously hoarded, but how long can the hoarded grain last? Sooner or later it will be finished!
This panic spread slowly. Because it was not just one base like this, but all bases were like this.
The high-levels of the base were anxious like ants in a hot pot, but they did not have a solution. Some bases began to use water sources created by superhumans to irrigate the land, hoping to restore the land to its previous state.
However, it turns out that being contaminated means being contaminated. There was no way to recover. In despair, many people chose to commit suicide. Suicide was very common in the end times. From the beginning of the apocalypse, many people chose to end their own lives.
You can’t accuse them of being weak. When you see people you know surrounded by zombies being eaten alive with you locked in a small room without food, water, and the ability and courage to rush out; without seeing the hope of rescue, would you choose to starve to death or end your own life?
Of course, there were more people who didn’t even have the guts to face death. Yet, they finally starved to death in the room, or rushed out after a collapse and died among the zombies.
However, with the gradual development of the last days, there have been fewer suicides. After all, people’s lives have calmed down, and everyone has seen the hope of living. If they could live better, naturally no one would choose to die.
But now? Things more terrifying than zombies appeared: humans would lose food.
Many bases began to stop supplying free food or reduced the amount of food provided. As the food at home slowly decreased, many elderly people chose to commit suicide.
They died not because they were afraid, but because they did not want to waste food. They hoped to leave more food for their children so that they could live longer.
Thinking that they have lived long enough, they didn’t want to be a burden on their children.
Such things were happening more and more in all the bases in the country. The only one who was a bit better was probably the Qin family in Jing Du.
The last batch of vegetables shipped to Qin’s house just solved their urgent need. Grandpa Qin said in his letter that he hoped that Shao Qing would hide the good vegetables in her vegetable base.
Grandpa Qin said that sometimes people need to be selfish. If they are discovered, someone will definitely hatch evil plans “for the sake of all mankind”, then they will force Shao Qing to surrender the secret of why the vegetables she grew are not affected.
It may even cause a siege. After all, many people feel that their race is better and more important.
In their eyes, Shao Qing was a zombie, a heresy. If Shao Qing refused to surrender her secrets, then being besieged is a definite thing. They will not feel guilty because they are besieging zombies.
So the old man told her to stop sending vegetables and hide the secret. Shao Qing calmly read the entire letter and felt very calm.
She knew very well that this secret cannot be hidden. If someone was willing to look it up, they would find out soon that the vegetables came out of Jiangcheng, so she didn’t care about being discovered.
Calculating the time, the batch of vegetables should be almost all eaten. Shao Qing immediately called Shao Tong to come over. She allowed Shao Tong to take a few senior zombies to escort the second batch of vegetables, and her letter to Jing Du.
In the letter, she made it very clear that no one can take anything from her, unless she willingly sends it out. The Qin family is also her family, so her family does not need to talk about those things.
She also told Old man Qin to regularly send people to pick up fruits and vegetables. After all, most of Jiangcheng are zombies, and it is inconvenient to escort things.
Six days later, Yan Hanqing and the others came back quietly and brought back something.
What they brought back was a plant, a round looking thing that appeared like a ball, with a mouth. Just poking the belly would cause it to make a haha ??sound.
Regardless of whether this thing was stupid, cute or strange, it was actually a good thing. There was a liquid in its stomach that could instantly heal human wounds. As long as it was not fatal, it can save it.
Before, Shao Qing said that she was going to go out and conquer her seventh mutant plant, and hoped that it would be of the healing element. This was because she lacked a healing element.
Yan Hanqing happened to find this guy, so he brought it back.
Without a word, Shao Qing conquered this plant and gave it a name, Dabai. Dabai likes to lie on human heads. When it was needed, it would stretch out white and soft. Its touch was like cold jello. When its tentacles touch a human wound, the liquid will flow out from the top of the tentacles.
Shao Qing liked it very much, especially pinching it. So when she first received it, the entire Jiangcheng was filled with Dabai laughing loudly. Fortunately, there were not many people in Jiangcheng, otherwise someone would definitely tell Shao Qing to not disturb people.
A few men liked her like this very much. She was very energetic, and seemed to be much younger. Her age almost seemed to have reversed and she became like a child.
Since the birth of Dabai, even Xiao Baozi abandoned Yaya. He acted like a baby with Shao Qing every day: “Ma Ma, I want to hug Baibai…”
Yaya was aggrieved, holding his only ear, he hid in the corner and cried secretly. He looked very pitiful.
Shao Qing’s letter went to Jing Du with the vegetables. After reading the letter, Grandpa Qin had a bunch of nonsense to say, but the corners of his mouth couldn’t help but tilt up. His daughter is so filial. Even though she wasn’t blood related, she was more faithful than a real one. She really was worth treasuring.
Then there was some worry. He was the most clear about the faces of those people, as long as things are exposed, they will definitely deal with his daughters by any means.
Grandpa Qin had never treated others softly in his life. In the end he gritted his teeth and sent some vegetables and a letter to the Tan’s house.
The old man of the Tan family was Shao Qing’s biological father. Didn’t you see that he sent the kid, Tan Xiao, to Shao Qing? If this time, the Tan family dared to stand up for Shao Qing, then he would grit his teeth and willingly give half of his daughter to the Tan family.
When the old man of the Tan family received the vegetables and the letter, he was still a little confused. He and the old man of the Qin family had dealt with each other for a lifetime, and he had never received a gift from the old man of the Qin family.
When he opened the letter, he knew why the old man from the Qin family brought things here. In his whole life, old man Tan was worthy of the sky and the earth, he was worthy of everyone, except for only two people.
One was Shao Qing and the other was Shao Qing’s biological mother.
After reading the letter, he was silent for a long time. Finally, he ordered people to transport the vegetables and store them. That night, Old Man Tan sat in the study all night, he did not return to his room to rest until dawn.
After all, this decision was related to the life and death of the entire Tan family. He was sorry for Shao Qing, but for the sake of a daughter, it is very likely he could destroy the entire Tan family. Is it worth it?
He was not only Shao Qing’s father, but also the head of the Tan family, responsible for the entire family.
The next morning, when old man Tan walked out of the study, his voice was very soft, but he said firmly: “Worth it!”
He spent his whole life living for the Tan family, for the country, and for the people. It is time he did something selfish for once.
His daughter was stolen when she was young. After more than two decades of hardship, she turned into a zombie in the last days. It was his daughter. When Shao Qing was young, he also hugged her, her soft little body was like a ball of cotton. He was afraid that he would pinch the child with only a little force, and it would break.
But his daughter, whom he loved, suffered for more than 20 years. How could he be willing to let her be bullied by others like this?
What if she is a zombie? This zombie is also his daughter, his own flesh and blood!
Anyone who wants to bully his daughter must step over his corpse and trample the entire Tan family into dust, otherwise no one can bully his daughter.
Old man Tan made this decision with much difficulty, but as soon as the decision was made, he was relieved. It was as if he had lifted a mountain off his back.
The old man’s back was already a little bent. As he walked to his bedroom, he muttered to himself: “I will protect our daughter… Even if I have to give up some, I have been guarding things for 50 or 60 years, I will not hesitate.”
“Master, would you like something to eat?” the butler asked kindly.
The old man sucked in a breath through his nose, and suddenly remembered that the vegetables sent by Mr. Qin were grown by his daughter, “Vegetable porridge, just use the vegetables sent today!”
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