Chapter 33

Sky Base, they're the ones who hurt Little Mushroom and sent people to hunt down the Man-Eating Flower.

Even when Qianhui found Chili in the cracks of the ruins, its injuries were inflicted by the Sky Base.

And...and the mimosa.

Qian Hui has not asked the man-eating flower what happened to the little mushroom, because he is afraid that if the man-eating flower brings up the past, it will be even more heartbroken.

He promised that if he encountered those humans again, he would not let them off easily.

Qian Hui calmed the two plants beside her, tucking them back into her hood, and followed Nan Tingjin downstairs.

The purpose of those people coming here is still unclear; perhaps it's for the lost durian.

They likely sensed something, but Qianhui couldn't find a chance to let the plants in her backpack slip out. To rescue Durian, she had no choice but to leave Qi Yue behind.

Nan Tingjin also said that they had something with them and that Black Ridge Base had to let them in, or there would be a lot of trouble.

Nan Tingjin originally intended to refuse, but Qian Hui persuaded him to stay.

If they are refused entry, a conflict will immediately break out between the two sides, which is likely the "dispute" described in the plot.

Moreover, even if one wants to avenge the plants, choosing Blackridge Mountain, the territory of human superhumans, as the location is not a wise move.

So Qianhui quickly made a decision to go to the restricted area behind the mountain to meet up with the other plants.

There are giant nuts there, and the scent of top-grade exotic plants can serve as cover.

Qianhui and the plants hid first, and after the Sky Base left, they secretly followed them and looked for an opportunity to ambush them along the way.

The area downstairs was deserted, with no one around. Before Sky Base could enter through the inner gate, a modified car sped away.

Upon reaching the back of the restricted area, Qianhui checked the condition of each plant, confirmed that they were all in good condition, and explained the current situation.

Carrot held a radish thorn in its hand, forcefully breaking it in two, gritting its teeth: "Ooh ooh..."

If it weren't for the need to consider the bigger picture, it would have flown over right now and killed all those humans!

Seeing its angry expression, the durian also got angry and slammed its head against the tree trunk beside it.

“We have to be careful,” Qian Hui cautioned. “Let’s be patient and wait until they leave.”

But... he held the sunflower in his arms and looked up at the giant nut.

Nuts still showed no signs of waking up.

He will have to leave again then, and it's uncertain when he will be able to return.

Qianhui considered whether to have two or three plants guard the place, or to stay behind herself.

However, if he split the plant team in two, he couldn't be completely at ease no matter which plants weren't around.

The nut was too big to carry away.

Thinking of this, Qian Hui felt downcast.

He turned around and found that Nan Tingjin had not left yet.

"Xiao Jin," Qian Hui put down the sunflower and hurried over, "Aren't you going back?"

Nan Tingjin leaned against the tree trunk and looked up at him: "No need."

He didn't seem to care what would happen in the base; he only intended to stay by Qian Hui's side to ensure her safety.

Qian Hui's mind stirred, and she recalled the part about Nan Tingjin from the plot.

His original fate was to disappear suddenly, which would have been much better than being confirmed dead.

If Nan Tingjin disappeared voluntarily, where would he go?

But now is not the time to think about these things. Qian Hui took a step forward and hugged Nan Tingjin: "Then...why don't you hide with us?"

Nan Tingjin narrowed his eyes slightly: "Hide it?"

Qian Hui nodded: "Mm."

These three words are probably not in his vocabulary, but since it's Qianhui's request, we can give it a try.

Nan Tingjin remained silent for a moment, then responded, "Okay."

The little cabbage took out its shell, and the carnivorous plant looked for a suitable place to put it nearby.

After the surrounding traces were cleared away, Nan Tingjin used his supernatural abilities to move the modified car to the foot of the mountain on the other side.

On his way here, he restored the road surface to its original state, and now the other side of the iron gate is almost invisible.

Then, Qianhui pulled Nantingjin into a cabbage shell.

With one more person, the cabbage shell felt very crowded.

Qian Hui stood close to Nan Tingjin, trying to adjust her posture, and the other plants squeezed in one by one.

Those without combat power are hidden inside, while the main damage dealers, such as carrots and man-eating flowers, are on the outside.

The cabbage shell has a stealth function, so even if the Sky Base really comes here, with the scent of giant nuts as cover, they might not be able to find out anything.

Unable to find the mutated plant, and with Nan Tingjin nowhere to be found, they will likely leave as soon as possible.

But what if it's actually discovered...

Then we must eliminate those humans; the plants still need to prepare for battle.

Having survived attacks by hordes of zombies, the plant team had already accumulated a great deal of experience.

The difference this time is that chili peppers will be the most crucial ingredient.

Its berserk ability can disable human abilities within its range for three minutes.

Three minutes isn't long, but it's enough.

As for the newly added durian, its size can increase three times. It can fight in melee and also launch spikes for ranged attacks when it explodes. The carrot makes it temporarily follow the bamboo shoot.

I wasn't familiar with durian and bamboo shoots, so I wasn't initially keen on them.

Seeing the carrot staring at it with a serious expression, it quickly nodded and pulled two thorns off its body, holding them in its hand.

In the dense forest, the carnivorous plant is most restricted, while the giant nut is surrounded by more open space, allowing it to roam freely.

Finally, Carrot planned out the escape route, ensuring that every step was perfect.

The Sky Base arrived suddenly, and the plants hid, seemingly under control.

However, the opposing team also doesn't know the number of plant teams or their overall combat strength.

Even if they are discovered, it's uncertain who will be the one attacked.

Of course, it's better if we don't get discovered. Once we leave this place, we'll have more ways to ambush those humans.

The sunflower's warm light illuminated the inside of its shell. Qian Hui, holding a small cabbage and an apple, looked at Nan Tingjin.

He hesitated, then whispered, "If... you can just ignore it and say I kidnapped her!"

Unlike the encounter with the horde of zombies, Nan Tingjin is human, and the human camp should all be his companions.

He wasn't planning to return to base; he'd stay here, and then the plants would fight the Sky Base...

The nuts have been found, the durian has been rescued, and the desire to avenge the plants was Qianhui's decision. Qianhui did not want to put Nantingjin in a difficult position.

Nan Tingjin lowered his eyes and stared, not responding for a moment, then raised his hand and gently touched Qian Hui's cheek.

His actions were ambiguous, and his expression revealed nothing. Perhaps he simply found it cute that Qian Hui was pulling him to hide and saying such things.

Meanwhile, inside the base.

Zhao Xing got out of the car and looked around: "Where is Chief Nan?"

Yuanji went out on a mission, leaving two other captains at the base, but Nan Tingjin was nowhere to be seen.

"They're probably busy," one of the captains said calmly. "What, did you lose something that belongs to our leader?"

No one would be in a good mood if someone broke into the base with a search warrant.

Especially because of Nan Tingjin, their relationship with Sky Base is not good. Apart from a small group of people, they secretly buy medicines from Sky Base outside.

Most of the other ability users around them were giving them unfriendly looks, but Zhao Xing didn't care and smiled, "Then let the two of you show us around."

The search warrant only allowed the base to let them in; once inside, Nan Tingjin was indeed not required to show his face.

Zhao Xing glanced back and saw that Wen Jue was still in the car, showing no intention of showing himself.

The captain turned to the side and said lazily, "Please."

Zhao Xing got back into the car and led the team to follow the two captains, beginning the search along every road.

All vehicles are equipped with energy detection instruments. When encountering narrow roads that modified vehicles cannot enter, Zhao Xing will personally get out of the car to check, leaving no blind spots unchecked.

When they arrived at the low building where Nan Tingjin lived, the pointer on the probe moved slightly, then returned to calm in the blink of an eye.

When the plants hid inside, they tried their best to conceal their presence, and the sunflower's light also had a slight dispersing effect, so very little of the scent remained in the low building.

But the pointer moved, and Zhao Xing wanted to go in and take a look, but was stopped by the captain.

"What exactly are you looking for?" the captain asked impatiently. "It's the leader's residence inside. You may not be afraid of dying, but I certainly am."

Zhao Xing frowned slightly. He stood in front of the low building and looked back at where Wen Jue was.

Wen Jue remained silent, sitting quietly in the back seat.

Isn't it here?

Zhao Xing said, "Then let's not go in, let's look around elsewhere."

In the end, every part of the base was searched, including the training grounds, the basement where miscellaneous items were stored, and the almost abandoned plaza park.

Having found nothing at the Sky Base, Zhao Xing's expression was not good either.

The captain crossed his arms and asked, "Is that enough? Is there anything else you'd like to see?"

They had now reached the rear of the base; further ahead lay the direction of the restricted area.

Zhao Xing looked around and pointed into the distance: "Over there."

The captain scoffed, "That's a restricted area. No one can go in without the leader's permission."

“We have a search warrant,” Zhao Xing said, unyielding. “Since it’s within the Blackridge Mountain base’s territory, why can’t we go?”

The captain couldn't refute this, and suppressing his displeasure, he turned around and said, "Take them to the back mountain."

When the group arrived at the front of the restricted area on the back mountain, the captain unlocked and opened the iron gate.

“You can go in yourselves,” he said with a forced smile. “There’s nothing inside anyway, so we won’t follow you.”

Zhao Xing didn't dwell on this. After asking Wen Jue's opinion, the eight modified cars entered the iron gate together.

On the other side of the iron gate was a forest. They had no way to move the road, and the modified vehicle was blocked by the dense forest after only a short distance.

Everyone got off the bus and began walking.

Beside the iron gate, the captain looked into the distance: "They really went..."

There should only be one sleeping, top-tier alien plant over there, and it has been there for a long time. It is definitely not from the Sky Base.

Shan Jun was also there at that moment, and stepped forward to ask, "Is the leader inside as well?"

"The leader?" The captain asked, puzzled. "Why is the leader there?"

At the same time, Qianhui received news that the restricted area had been breached.

Even when Nan Tingjin was not present, the captain sent him messages at any time, reporting the movements of the Sky Base.

Qian Hui tensed up: "They've really come..."

Nan Tingjin, standing beside him, seemed unsurprised. He put away his communicator and whispered, "Wen Jue from Sky Base has the ability of precognition."

"Predicted?" Qian Hui was stunned. "Then... then will he know we're hiding here?"

Nan Tingjin, however, said, "Not necessarily, his abilities are limited."

Qian Hui was worried. If she knew, the other side would definitely be prepared.

Is it really just about the lost durian? Or is it something else...?

In short, regardless of the circumstances, the plants are on high alert, ready to fight at any time.

The mountain path was difficult to traverse, and Wen Jue's physical condition was not good, so the team needed to take care of him.

Wen Jue had four superhumans protecting him. He leaned against a tree trunk to rest for a moment and said to Zhao Xing, "You take the men up first, don't worry about me."

Zhao Xing responded with a "Yes," and immediately turned around and sped up.

Wen Jue stared at his retreating figure, his expression somewhat complicated.

Once inside the base, he could see nothing again.

The only confirmed information so far is that the carnivorous plant is hiding here, and Zhao Xing will die.

But... Wen Jue could sense that there was something extremely important on that mountain, even more important than Nan Tingjin, and he had to know what it was.

If I leave now, I don't know when I'll have another chance.

Before long, Zhao Xing and his team disappeared into the mountains and forests.

The group of superhumans who followed them this time were all very strong. They moved quickly and soon arrived at the mountainside where the giant nut was located.

Zhao Xing raised his hand to signal, glanced at the message, and ordered, "Search."

Wen Jue said that what he was looking for should be hidden here.

Giant nuts are top-grade exotic plants; the scent they emit can affect instrument readings, so they can only rely on themselves.

And whether it was just my imagination or not, the plant seemed to be in much better condition than it was two years ago when I first saw it.

Zhao Xing stared at the giant nut, then cautiously took a few steps back and circled around to the back.

The team split up and first took a general look around, but found nothing unusual.

Then, one of the team members came out alone and raised his hands.

His special ability is nature-based, allowing him to manipulate airflow, which is different from ordinary wind blades.

The moment the team member raised his hand, the surrounding air suddenly froze, and even the fallen leaves were suspended in mid-air.

He forcefully clenched his palms together, and layers of air currents, like ripples spreading across water, quickly surged in all directions.

Forests are ideal hiding places for mutant plants, and this method allows for the rapid location of targets.

The others had already moved aside, and the ripples passed over the giant nut, soon reaching the location of the hidden cabbage shell.

Nan Tingjin looked up and whispered in Qian Hui's ear, "We're about to be discovered—"

Before he finished speaking, the airflow outside suddenly stopped, as if blocked by an invisible wall.

The team member immediately looked up: "There is..."

He had only uttered one word when he was suddenly knocked away and fell heavily to the ground.

The others immediately retreated. Zhao Xing looked at the empty woods: "Is that Nan Tingjin? Where is he?"

Just then, orange raindrops began to fall from the sky.

A barrage of radish thorns rained down, striking directly at everyone in the squad.

The carrot stood atop the giant nut and snorted coldly.

The moment Nan Tingjin made his move, the Plant Team also began to act.

The carrot was the first to break through the cabbage shell, using its sharp thorns to fly to the highest point.

The opposing team reacted extremely quickly. Someone in their team possessed a defensive ability, similar to the Money Tree's skill, which rapidly raised several layers of protective shields to protect everyone in the team.

The first round of radish thorns failed to work, and the man-eating flower followed closely behind, its size increasing several times in an instant.

It slithered over like a snake, opened its mouth and bit down hard, shattering the protective shield.

Various plant attacks came flying in: potato bombs, chili seeds, corn kernels, or any combination of two or three, trapping the team in place for a time.

The little bamboo shoot, carrying a durian, hides on the back of a giant nut, waiting for its chance to strike.

However, the squad consisted of thirty people. After withstanding the first wave of attacks, the squad retreated into the woods under Zhao Xing's orders.

The mutated plant should be hiding behind the giant nut, and there's another one on top of it.

The man-eating plant is incredibly strong, but its attacks are significantly weakened when it hides in a narrow space.

And then there's Nan Tingjin...

Zhao Xing confirmed that Nan Tingjin was there and urged the team member who had fallen earlier to hurry up.

Protected by others, he raised his hands and tried to use his powers again.

This time, the solidified airflow was more abundant and more solid, and it actually managed to resist Nan Tingjin's control over the surroundings.

Even the most powerful superpowers can be countered, even those based on rules.

Even if the time it can hold out is very limited, it will be enough.

Large beads of sweat rolled down the team members' foreheads as they forced their palms together.

The airflow swept around instantly, hitting the cabbage shells.

The cabbage husk lost its invisibility and split directly in two.

Qian Hui almost fell to the ground, but Nan Tingjin caught her in his arms in time.

Taking advantage of those few seconds, the human superhumans adjusted their state and launched a barrage of ranged attacks, which were then blocked by the defensive shields of the giant nuts and money trees.

Zhao Xing stood to the side and saw Nan Tingjin finally appear.

He didn't have time to pay attention to who was next to Nan Tingjin, and pressed a device in his hand.

The device emits elusive sound waves, specifically designed for those with supernatural abilities. It was something Wen Jue stumbled upon while searching for a cure for his lost state...

Everyone in the team was prepared, with sponges stuffed in their ears.

Although this is the first time I've used this, I'm unsure how effective it will be.

In Wen Jue's plan, Nan Tingjin was always the most difficult to deal with; the plants were not important.

His superpower forced him to reveal himself, and then he used the device to complete the task in a very short time.

By restraining Nan Tingjin, they can buy more time and have a better chance of winning.

When the device emitted sound waves, Nan Tingjin's breathing became heavy, and his brows furrowed slightly.

Qian Hui, nestled in his arms, keenly sensed his unusual behavior and asked with concern, "What's wrong?"

The ground tremors stopped, and the plants fought back fiercely.

Only the chili peppers slowed their attack, ready to explode at any moment.

Perhaps guessing that Chili was also there, the other side maintained a considerable distance and had not yet found a suitable opportunity.

Meanwhile, they were slowly moving in one direction, trying to get around to the other side of the giant nut.

If it weren't for the giant nut, the money tree might not have been able to withstand all the attacks.

Zhao Xing kept pressing the buttons in his hand and waving to signal his team members.

Several people were being attacked by the carnivorous plants. The ever-increasing number of radish thorns pierced through the defensive shield, and most of the people on the other side were injured and were taking medicine.

Three other people quietly bypassed the giant nut, trying to get closer to where the plants were hiding.

The little bamboo shoot spotted it in time and, carrying the durian, prepared to meet the enemy.

But there was a fourth person standing to the side. He condensed dozens of fireballs in one breath and threw them all out after his companion broke through the Money Tree's defensive shield.

Without the giant nuts blocking the way, the lush vegetation in that direction would quickly ignite upon contact with the fireball.

The carrot also saw the large number of fireballs and immediately tried to change the direction of its thorns to knock the fireballs away.

Suddenly, it felt the nut under its feet move—

Despite its enormous size, the giant nut was surprisingly agile and nimble, sliding gently to the side to block all the fireballs.

The fireball struck the nut's shell, extinguishing it instantly as it fell to the ground.