Chapter 30

"Run!" Seeing Lin Tu frozen in place, Yuan Que grabbed her hand and bolted.

Lin Tu stumbled forward, yanked along. She'd wanted to catch one to see what was going on, but as Yuan Que pulled her, she realized there were too many—more appearing every second. Some she recognized; many she didn't. It was as if every creature that had been hiding in the shadows had been flushed out by the sun.

The two sprinted at full speed, one after the other.

Yuan Que asked in terror, "What are those?!"

"Mutated dandelions," Lin Tu replied, unsurprised—she could even piece together how they'd come to be. "Ever heard of zombie snails? Snails controlled by Leucochloridium. The parasite lodges in the snail's eyestalks, making them swell and pulse with bright colors. It attracts birds, which eat the snail, and the worm spreads its eggs through bird droppings."

As Yuan Que pulled her along, she glanced back to observe, musing, "But honestly, I think they're more like another parasite—the tongue-eating louse. It's not technically a parasite, but it acts like one. It enters through the fish's gills, attaches to the tongue, and sucks blood until the tongue atrophies. Then it latches onto the stub and becomes the new tongue, feeding off the fish's nutrients."

Yuan Que shuddered at the mental image—especially recalling the dense dark fuzz in those people's throats moments ago. It made his jaw ache, and he definitely didn't want to go back.

They say human imagination is the scariest thing, and at that moment, he wished Lin Tu didn't have all this random knowledge. Otherwise, he wouldn't be picturing exactly how the dandelions might be parasitizing those bodies.

"One ahead!" Yuan Que skidded to a halt, planting himself in front of Lin Tu to stop her. He spread his arms wide. "You go first! You helped me once—this time I'll help you!"

In that instant, a dozen ideas flashed through his mind, but the first was being parasitized by those dandelions. Still, he thought, if it meant repaying Lin Tu with his life, maybe it wasn't such a bad way to go.

"Move!"

Just as Yuan Que was lost in thought, Lin Tu's shout came from behind.

Before he could react, she shoved him aside. She pounced on the man like a tiger, the water bottle in her raised right hand already uncapped—somehow, she'd opened it without him noticing.

As if she'd planned it all along, the moment she collided with the man, she squeezed the plastic bottle, shooting a jet of water straight into his open mouth.

The man let out a pained roar, and the strange buzzing in his throat grew weaker, sputtering in and out.

At the same time, Lin Tu moved fluidly, tackling him to the ground. Then, in one motion, she scooped him up by the waist like a bag and hoisted him.

The creature was caught completely off guard; it didn't resist as Lin Tu carried him horizontally in her arms.

Having finally caught one for study, Lin Tu ran off while shouting back at Yuan Que, "Let's go!"

"..." Yuan Que was still frozen in his protective stance, even though the lithe girl's figure had already left his line of sight, smoothly knocking out a 'monster' and sprinting away.

"Coming!" Yuan Que quickly gave chase.

The two ran all the way to the apartment building, where Yuan Que finally retrieved the portable shower head he'd dropped earlier. He turned on the water, brandishing it at the horde of parasitized people closing in.

"Don't come any closer!" Yuan Que's voice wasn't loud, but it carried over the sound of rushing water.

Those people—or rather, the monsters controlled by dandelions—did stop in their tracks.

"Yuan Que..." Some of them called his name. "I'm so hungry... we're so hungry..."

The buzzing cries made Yuan Que's scalp crawl. He knew this 'hunger' wasn't ordinary; it was the hunger to tear him apart and eat him raw.

He raised the shower head higher, waving it around.

But the monsters didn't retreat as quickly as before. With greater numbers, they seemed bolder, inching forward at a painfully slow pace.

"Get inside!"

Lin Tu had already opened the building door. Yuan Que backed in, spraying water as he went, and slipped through the entrance.

As soon as they were inside, the monsters surged forward, trying to force their way through.

"Tie him up," Lin Tu said, dumping the man she'd caught onto the floor before sprinting up to the second floor.

She'd connected a hose to the faucet earlier; now she ran to the window, fed the hose outside, then dashed back to the kitchen to turn on the tap. With a gurgle, clean water flowed endlessly into the hose.

Lin Tu used the same trick as before, fashioning a safety line from rope and tying herself to the window frame.

Using the air conditioner unit for support, she climbed down until she was beside the wall above the building's entrance, then raised the now-spraying hose and drenched the group below.

"Ah!" Terrifying screams of agony erupted from the doorway, but Lin Tu didn't stop. She methodically showered each one, and the monsters scattered in all directions.

"Sister Lin!" Across the street, Luo Yongzhi spotted her and leaned out a window, shouting eagerly, "What are you doing?"

He wasn't getting along with Zhang Jie and the others. If it weren't for keeping an eye on them so they couldn't sneak into the safe house alone, he'd have ditched them long ago to live in Lin Tu's building. So even though he stayed with them, Luo Yongzhi often perched at the window at the end of the hotel corridor, facing the street, to check if Lin Tu needed anything.

Lin Tu's window faced the street directly, while the building's entrance faced another direction—so Luo Yongzhi could only see her clinging to the wall with some odd pipe; he couldn't see the water jetting out or the monsters fleeing beneath it.

"Watch out for people infested with dandelions!" Lin Tu started to explain, but then noticed a figure emerge behind him and cut herself off.

"Oh?" Zhang Jie had just returned from the bathroom and spotted Lin Tu and Luo Yongzhi having their little chat. He sneered, "What are you two up to now? Can't stay idle, can you?"

He was still bitter about their trip to the southwest earlier, which made him feel like he'd lost control. If it weren't for his boss also being in this disaster world, he would've taught them a lesson. But... speaking of his boss, Zhang Jie recalled the message he'd just received, and his mood perked up again—

"Cai Dui arrives tomorrow morning. If you still want to get into the safe house, you'd better behave. Otherwise... humph!" Zhang Jie shot them a smug look, then disappeared into the hotel.

Lin Tu: "..." Where did that dog come from?

"Ignore him," Luo Yongzhi rolled his eyes. "I was just about to tell you—his boss arrives tomorrow, so we can finally get into the safe house and stop having to kiss up to him."

Lin Tu hummed in acknowledgment, then glanced down. The mob below had mostly scattered. She let go of the hose, climbed back to the windowsill, and waved at Luo Yongzhi. "See you tomorrow, then!"

She ducked back inside.

Across the street, Luo Yongzhi propped his chin on the windowsill, scratching his head. "Huh? What did Sister Lin just say... dandelion parasites? Did I mishear?" He glanced at Zhang Jie and the others playing cards inside, shook his head, and returned to his own room.

Back in her flat, Lin Tu gathered some tools and went downstairs. Yuan Que had already tied the man up thoroughly.

Lin Tu used the portable shower gel to drench the man from head to toe.

It was summer, and he wore a T-shirt and shorts, leaving most of his skin exposed. In theory, anyone who'd come into contact with dandelions—like Luo Yongzhi and Lin Tu the other day—would have seeds sticking to their skin. But even after soaking him completely, no seeds fell off.

Lin Tu sighed, pulled out her bag, and opened it to reveal a row of brand-new chef's knives.

Yuan Que: "?"

He nervously stepped back, but then crouched down and shuffled forward again:

"Need a hand?"

Lin Tu handed him the sharpening steel. "Help me pry his mouth open."

Probably due to the dandelions' defensive instincts, the man's mouth was clamped shut. Lin Tu wedged a fruit knife between his upper and lower teeth; as she pried, Yuan Que shoved the steel rod in alongside it.

With the rod holding it open, Lin Tu easily slipped her fingers in, then wrenched it hard. A crack sounded as his jaw dislocated.

Yuan Que shuddered again.

Lin Tu looked at the boy—clearly scared but still helping—and offered, "It's for saving a life. Any doctor would do it. It's no big deal."

"Saving lives?" Yuan Que looked at her in surprise. "He's not dead yet?"

"Maybe. Not necessarily..." Lin Tu shone a flashlight down the man's throat. The dandelions on the surface, soaked through, had gone limp and were peeling off, sticking to the walls of his mouth. Deeper inside, there were more. As if sensing the light or the iron in living blood, they began to sway lazily.

Lin Tu took the man's hand and gently slit a vein in his wrist.

"There's more!" Yuan Que shouted in horror.

As if his skin were a sliced-open down jacket, the moment a tiny incision was made, dandelion heads popped out, eager to escape. Beneath them, not a drop of blood—only thick, furry-looking stalks that resembled wire.

"Careful!" Yuan Que, quick-eyed, splashed half a bottle of water on it to keep the dandelions from flying toward Lin Tu.

"Thanks." Lin Tu opened the portable shower bucket and dumped the entire contents into the man's mouth. Since the stomach connects to everything, Lin Tu aimed to kill the dandelions inside that way.

Did it work? A moment later, her phone buzzed. The result was clear.

"He must have been parasitized for a long time," Lin Tu said, recalling how the dandelions had aggressively burrowed into Luo Yongzhi's forehead the other day. If they hadn't removed them in time, the seeds would have gotten inside and turned them into monsters too.

Lin Tu couldn't help but remark, "One careless moment, and you're done for. Impossible to guard against." She used tweezers to collect some samples.

"Then what do we do?" Yuan Que asked, worry creeping into his voice.

"Wait—wait until this wind passes completely," Lin Tu said, looking at him. He stared back with slightly moist eyes, looking at her with such desperate hope that, inexplicably and suddenly, she thought he was a bit cute.

It reminded her, unbidden, of the little dog she'd once had. When she'd been alone in the world, that dog had used its shining eyes in the dark and its wet nose to keep her company through the fearful nights. Until... that dog was thrown away by her aunt.

At the thought, Lin Tu immediately cast aside the strange idea and, with perfect calm, focused on tomorrow's plans with Zhang Jie and the others. She looked at Yuan Que, a local who would remain in this godforsaken disaster world after she left in three months. She offered a genuine piece of advice: "You could wait until winter. When plants stop spreading and their growth slows, it might be much safer."

Yuan Que noticed the sudden distance in her tone and nodded, a little lost.

That night, Lin Tu refused Yuan Que's offer to help and spent the whole night assembling the dandelion defense system. She finally felt a weight lift off her shoulders. Early the next morning, she activated the [Single-Use Backpack], filled every liquid container she owned with tap water, and packed the rest of her gear. She locked the door, reminded the Butler to take care, and left the neighborhood without a backward glance.

Upstairs, Yuan Que hid in the stairwell, hoping to talk to her. But before he could decide what to say, he heard the lock click, saw a retreating figure, and watched as Lin Tu crossed the street to meet up with Luo Yongzhi and the others. He clenched his fists tightly.

"Where's your boss?" Standing at the hotel entrance, open to the wind on all sides, Lin Tu felt exposed. She drew her machete, just in case.

This disaster wasn't suited for guns, but since she'd be working with Zhang Jie, she still holstered a pistol at her waist and kept her tools within easy reach.

"Cai Dui will be here any minute. He's formidable. What's the harm in waiting?" Zhang Jie studied Lin Tu, who was bundled up tightly and gripping a machete. He was a bit speechless. Didn't she know how strong Cai Dui was? Or maybe she didn't trust them to get her to the safe house—in which case, why join them at all?

He'd always found Lin Tu off-putting, and at this moment, his dislike hit a new peak.

Lin Tu gave him a sidelong glance. Zhang Jie, Yi Ying, and his goons were all wearing casual sun-protection jackets—long sleeves and long pants, yes, but not covering every inch of skin.

Were they truly unafraid of death, or just blindly trusting this Cai Dui? Lin Tu figured it was neither—they were simply stupid.

Luo Yongzhi, by contrast, had copied Lin Tu's outfit exactly. If he were being honest, going through this disaster with the Black Factory crew was less reliable than sticking with Lin Tu. His team leader had traded for their joint pass with a tool, and it was a lousy deal.

The sun rose slowly in the east, shrinking the hotel's shade. Lin Tu went so far as to pull her sedan over and sit inside with the AC on, scrolling her phone. Earlier, the roads near the supermarket had been so clogged that they'd abandoned the box truck and pickup, leaving Zhang Jie to gnash his teeth as Lin Tu enjoyed the cold air. There were no rental cars around, after all.

It was only now that Lin Tu had time to check the messages she'd received on the [Anju] app yesterday—a message that read: [From Anju: You have eliminated Mutant Dandelion Cluster ×1 in D+ world "Abnormal Plant Crisis."]

It showed she'd earned 2 points, double what she got for zombies. But considering how much harder mutated plants were to kill, Lin Tu wasn't sure it was a fair trade.

Adding up the clusters she'd killed yesterday—the one at the entrance, the 0.2 from clearing the house, the field dodder at the neighborhood gate, and the mutated shrubs she'd encountered on the street—Lin Tu had earned a total of 6.4 extra points from this disaster so far.

Compared to last time, that number was deeply unsatisfying. But she'd taken a lucrative job and joined this squad rumored to have a guaranteed pass... Just then, Lin Tu heard the sound of a vehicle.

She looked up to see Zhang Jie and his crew trotting eagerly to the roadside, staring at a gray box truck at the end of the street.

The truck was moving slowly, but it didn't drive smoothly.

Eventually, it made it to the hotel entrance with a screech of brakes. Zhang Jie rushed over, yanked open the driver's door, and waved at his three underlings—one to hold an umbrella, one to offer water, and one to steady the passenger.

Lin Tu watched the scene, grotesquely out of place in the apocalypse, and let out a disdainful snort. So that was why Zhang Jie rubbed her the wrong way—he was just like her old colleagues who did nothing but suck up to the boss.

"Cai Dui! You're finally here..." Zhang Jie began in a honeyed tone, but before he got far, the driver suddenly grabbed the arm of the underling who was helping him out, making the man yelp.

"What's wrong with you? Stop making a fuss!" Zhang Jie snapped at him. "Help Cai Dui up properly..."

Cai Dui cut him off. His voice was unnaturally high-pitched, with a faint buzzing quality that seemed to vibrate in his throat:

"Little Zhang... I'm so hungry!"

Lin Tu's expression turned grim in an instant.

"Oh, that's my fault! I didn't think—you've been driving so long, you must be famished! And you lot didn't remind me..." Zhang Jie joked, kicking one of his underlings. "Just give me a moment, Cai Dui. I'll get you something to eat."

He rummaged through his backpack. Meanwhile, Cai Dui, spotting the cup of water, abruptly knocked it away and tightened his grip on the underling's arm. "Little Zhang! Hurry! I'm starving!" His voice had become almost a shriek.

The instant Zhang Jie held out a bread roll, Cai Dui lunged from the driver's seat and clamped his teeth onto the underling's arm, while grabbing Zhang Jie's other hand with his free one, immobilizing them both.

"Shit!" Lin Tu immediately understood what was happening—and realized the plan had gone to hell. The captain was infested with dandelions!

Lin Tu shoved the door open and sprinted over.

"Ah!"

The others shrieked and scrambled backward.

Zhang Jie stared in disbelief at Cai Dui, who was still gnawing on the underling's arm. He tried to reason with him—maybe the drive had just been too tiring. Then he thought his words were working, as Cai Dui released the arm, which was now covered in something like mold, dark and swarming.

"Little Zhang!" Cai Dui raised his head, grinning at Zhang Jie with a bloodthirsty, gaping mouth.

Zhang Jie was close enough to see, all too clearly, the fuzz filling his throat, even drifting in the air toward his face with each breath.

"Ah!" He emitted the second ear-piercing scream on this street.