"I was wrong."

A simple, casual remark successfully silenced the incessantly chattering Gu Shaoyan.

Looking at Qin Wan's innocent expression, Gu Shaoyan felt guilty.

"That's not what I meant..."

"I know you were just asking casually..."

"It's my fault..."

[Gu Shaoyan's favorability increased by 5, current favorability is 68.]

It must be said that Qin Wan executed this tactic of retreating to advance perfectly.

Not only did she regain the favor she had lost, but Gu Shaoyan's attitude also changed drastically.

"Jiang Sinian and Qin Nuan are still over at the residential building. I don't know if they've come over yet."

"However, Jiang Sinian's superpower is quite strong. This generation of zombies and humans have all been devoured by that unknown vine, so the two of them should be safe."

"And you?"

Are you alright?

As he spoke, Gu Shaoyan kept his eyes fixed on Qin Wan.

"I'm fine," Qin Wan said, shaking her head gently.

Under Gu Shaoyan's surprised gaze, Qin Wan held up the little kitten in her arms to show it to him.

"Where did you catch this kitten?" Gu Shaoyan asked, reaching out to stroke the kitten's back.

"I found it."

"On the wall of this self-built villa."

Upon hearing this, Gu Shaoyan looked toward the villa behind Qin Wan.

It would have been better if I hadn't looked, because once I did, things got really interesting.

A massive old locust tree was huddled behind the villa's iron gate, trembling all over, with leaves constantly falling from its top.

"That tree?" Gu Shaoyan asked in surprise.

“Those vines that attacked you are it.”

Gu Shaoyan: "!!!"

"It didn't do anything to you, did it?"

Gu Shaoyan quickly pulled Qin Wan over and looked her up and down again.

"Its body is afraid of fire, so I'm fine," Qin Wan explained.

Is the body afraid of fire?

These keywords made Gu Shaoyan breathe a sigh of relief.

"At that time, those vines were also afraid of fire, but this old locust tree was clever. After the vines were set on fire, it chose to cut off its own vines to survive."

"Its regeneration rate is so fast that my flames can never spread, which means that Jiang Sinian and I have been bound and unable to escape."

"It's all resolved now," Qin Wan said reassuringly.

As soon as she finished speaking, Qin Wan, holding the kitten, said to Gu Shaoyan, "It's getting late, we should go."

Upon hearing this, Gu Shaoyan frowned and looked at the kitten in Qin Wan's arms. "Are you going to take this cat with you?"

"Mm." Qin Wan nodded.

Gu Shaoyan hesitated, but ultimately didn't say anything.

Just as the two turned to leave, the iron gate of the villa behind them creaked open.

The old locust tree followed stealthily behind the two...

"Meow……"

At the same time, the kitten in Qin Wan's arms let out a soft meow.

Qin Wan paused in her steps, looked down at the kitten in her arms, and frowned as she asked, "You want me to take it with me?"

"Meow!" The little kitten raised its head, its blue eyes gazing expectantly at Qin Wan.

Qin Wan: "..."

Qin Wan turned around and frowned as she looked at the massive trunk of the old locust tree behind her.

"It's too big and too conspicuous; it's inconvenient to carry around."

As soon as she finished speaking, she heard the little kitten in her arms meow at the old locust tree.

The next second, an amazing scene unfolded.

The old locust tree, which had once been enormous, was visibly shrinking...

In the end, the old locust tree transformed into a slender sapling that wrapped around Qin Wan's delicate wrist.

Qin Wan: "..." She has this skill too?

"Meow." The kitten meowed softly again, nuzzling Qin Wan's palm with its little head in a spoiled manner.

Upon hearing this, Qin Wan sighed softly, "Alright, then bring them along."

Gu Shaoyan stood there dumbfounded, unable to recover from the incredible scene before him for a long time.

First of all, how could Qin Wan, as a human being, possess the ability to communicate with animals?

Secondly, the old locust tree can actually grow bigger and smaller. Is this the end of the world or some kind of magical world?

Finally, given how dangerous that old locust tree was, why did Qin Wan bring it along?

What if that old locust tree on the road tries to harm them?

And this little kitten...

In the apocalypse, food is scarce, and it's difficult enough for them to feed themselves, let alone have enough food to support another cat.

Thinking of this, Gu Shaoyan told Qin Wan about his worries.

“They don’t need to eat,” Qin Wan said.

Gu Shaoyan blinked, his face blank, clearly not understanding what Qin Wan meant.

Seeing this, Qin Wan sighed softly, turned her palm upward, and a crystal core that shimmered with an unusual light appeared in her palm.

The next second, Qin Wan fed the crystal core to the kitten's mouth...

"Meow!"

The kitten meowed excitedly and swallowed the entire crystal core whole, leaving not a single crumb.

Seeing this, Gu Shaoyan stared blankly at the scene before him.

!!

What kind of cat is this?

"How can a cat eat crystal cores?"

"Qin Wan, throw it away right now!"

As he spoke, Gu Shaoyan reached out to snatch the kitten from Qin Wan's arms, attempting to throw it away.

Fortunately, Qin Wan reacted quickly, immediately hugging the kitten tightly and turning her body to the side to avoid Gu Shaoyan's hand.

"Qin Wan?"

Gu Shaoyan frowned and looked at Qin Wan with a puzzled expression.

"It is a mutated animal, not a necrophiliac."

"In other words, it is a superhuman, just like us, not a zombie."

Upon hearing this, Gu Shaoyan looked at the little kitten that was squinting at him with hostility, seemingly understanding but not quite.

"Even so, it's not safe to carry it around..."

"Don't worry, it has already recognized me as its master, and it won't harm anyone without my command."

At this point, Qin Wan paused, "Of course, zombies are an exception."

Gu Shaoyan's brows were still furrowed; he was still worried.

Seeing this, Qin Wan raised the vine on her wrist, "This old locust tree is the same, it belongs to the mutated plant category, not the corpse-turned type."

Gu Shaoyan: "..."

After a long silence, Gu Shaoyan finally spoke, "Are you really sure they won't hurt you?"

"Won't."

"I'm sure, absolutely certain, and definitely." Qin Wan said with conviction.

What she didn't tell Gu Shaoyan was that the cat and the tree had signed a master-servant contract with her, and were bound to never betray her for life.

They won't hurt her...

Even worse, if they didn't protect her, and she, the owner, got injured, a large part of her injuries would be transferred to the kittens and the old locust tree.

Of course, there is no one in this world who can hurt her.

As she pondered this, Qin Wan took off the vine bracelet from her wrist and placed it in Gu Shaoyan's hand.

"You should keep the old locust tree with you."

"I only need my meow."

"..." Gu Shaoyan frowned, staring disdainfully at the unremarkable wooden bracelet in his palm.

"I don't need it."

ugly.

It's not just ugly, it's incredibly ugly.

Wearing this kind of dark wooden bracelet would damage his image and handsome appearance.

Thinking of this, Gu Shaoyan pretended to stuff the wooden bracelet back into Qin Wan's hand.

Unexpectedly, that old locust tree was an opportunist...

Upon understanding Qin Wan's command, the old locust tree did not hesitate at all, immediately wrapping itself around Gu Shaoyan's wrist, clinging tightly and refusing to leave...

No matter how much Gu Shaoyan pried at it, it remained completely still, as steady as Mount Tai.

Gu Shaoyan: "..." An ugly, broken wooden bracelet, and it has a temper?