Chapter 21: Chapter 21

Each tree could only be harvested once. Compared to the purely ornamental peach blossom or the uncertain use of a branch, the peach pit was much easier to store.

The pits from the other peach trees were noticeably smaller than the old tree’s, making the old peach tree’s pit quite special.

Previously, she’d regretted not being able to take all these fruit trees with her, but now with the Claw of Recompense, she finally had a way. Even for plants not in their fruiting season, she could still get a few seeds.

Compared to branches or saplings, seeds were much easier to store and carry."

"Mu Ying lingered in the orchard, reluctant to leave, and ended up staying for two or three days.

Not only did she clear out all the zombies in the orchard, she also visited every fruit-bearing plant, giving them the full treatment: channeling the power of nature, watering them with the Spring of Restoration, and using the Claw of Feedback to “harvest” as much as she could.

Of course, “feedback” means you have to give something in return. The plants she tended to yielded even better “harvests” after her care.

The bottom of the bamboo basket on Old Yellow Ox’s back was now covered with a thick layer of seeds. By her rough estimate, she had more than enough to pay back Grandpa Xiao Mu for the seeds she owed, without even needing to visit the seed market.

When she was finally ready to leave the orchard, Old Yellow Ox and Yuan Gun Gun were even more reluctant to part ways.

The two of them had pretty much ravaged the entire orchard over the past few days—any fruit they could get their paws or hooves on ended up in their bellies.

Old Yellow Ox was big but didn’t eat much, so he was the main fruit picker. Yuan Gun Gun, on the other hand, was small but had a bottomless stomach—most of the fruit went to him.

He had visibly grown rounder, and after passing through his infant stage, awakened a rather peculiar skill.

【Nickname: Yuan Gun Gun】

【Species: Iron-Eating Beast】

【Stage: Juvenile】

【HP: 100%】

【Talent: Eating】

【Attributes: Strength 8, Constitution 10, Agility 4, Intelligence 6, Perception 7, Charisma 15】

【Abilities: Emotional Bond, Loyalty, Fruit Pitcher】

【Fruit Pitcher: Manifest a fruit and hurl it at an enemy, splattering them with a rainbow of fruit pulp and instantly drawing all their aggro onto yourself.】

When Mu Ying saw this skill, she seriously wondered if letting him eat so much fruit had been a mistake.

This was a pure taunt skill with zero offensive power. Given Yuan Gun Gun’s current size, the fruits he could conjure were usually small ones like peaches or tangerines.

When the fruit hit an enemy, it would explode completely, and the sweet pulp would quickly rot, releasing a stench that would, without fail, draw all the enemy’s aggro to him.

Even zombies couldn’t stand such humiliation, and became noticeably more agitated than usual.

Looking at Yuan Gun Gun’s stubby legs and round body, Mu Ying decisively ignored this skill. Even though he’d reached the juvenile stage and his stats had improved significantly, he still couldn’t withstand a zombie’s claws.

He couldn’t take the damage, nor could he outrun the enemy—taunting would just be a death sentence. Best to keep this skill tucked away for now.

Still, with his juvenile stats already comparable to an adult’s in strength and constitution, he’d probably be quite tough in the future—but for now, better not risk it.

Leaving the orchard, Mu Ying’s attention was caught by a white notice posted on a utility pole by the roadside.

“June 15th: The authorities will organize a team to clear zombies from the highway. All citizens are requested to gather at the logistics center and proceed together to Qingshan Camp.”

“June 15th?” Mu Ying did a quick calculation. Today was the 14th—so, tomorrow?

Notices like this were everywhere, clearly posted in large numbers. She checked the forums and found the same announcement, with even more details.

The so-called “authorities” referred to the local garrison and some civil servants in Binhai City.

With transportation and communication systems completely collapsed in the apocalypse, and forum information unreliable, the central government’s control had crumbled—every region was left to fend for itself.

The Binhai logistics center stored a huge amount of survival supplies, but without vehicles, it was almost impossible to move them all at once. So, they were calling on the public to each carry a portion and migrate together to Qingshan Camp.

For people with some professional abilities, killing zombies wasn’t hard. With more people, not only could they attract more zombies, but they’d also have more manpower to carry supplies—a net benefit.

In any case, a large group of people would soon be arriving at her camp. Realizing this, Mu Ying immediately decided to pick up the pace and try to get back before them, so she could prepare for their arrival.

The seed market was vast, covering seeds and saplings of most common plants, but there were hardly any zombies around—probably already cleared out.

There were lots of shops, but most sold similar things. Mu Ying went straight to the largest storefront and quickly filled Old Yellow Ox’s bamboo basket, piling several cloth bags on top.

The basket held the seeds she’d collected for herself—a bit of everything, in varying quantities. The two cloth bags on top were filled with different kinds of seeds, all set aside for Grandpa Xiao Mu.

She spent the night at the seed market. Other than leaving a bit of food for Yuan Gun Gun, she gave all her remaining Spring of Restoration water to Old Yellow Ox—he’d need the energy to carry both the seeds and Yuan Gun Gun on the journey.

She retraced her steps, passing through the orchard and into the mountains.

From a distance, she could see a commotion near the highway—a crowd of people, bundles in tow, gathering and waiting for something.

A bit further along, she spotted a group of lightly equipped people moving in formation, fighting zombies in a pitched battle.

These people were clearly well-trained—their combat was organized, with smooth rotations, healing, and loot collection, all working in perfect sync.

Mu Ying watched with great interest. Such fierce, head-on battles were so exhilarating!

But the injury rate was a bit high—after all, they were facing a horde of zombies.

Still, none of the wounds were too serious—mostly scratches. As professionals, they didn’t have to worry about zombie infection anymore, and those with healing abilities recovered quickly.

After observing for a while, Mu Ying led Old Yellow Ox away. With so many people, her territory wouldn’t be able to accommodate them all—she needed to hurry back and expand it.

Although the main group was moving slowly, Mu Ying herself couldn’t go much faster. Compared to the flat, straight highway, traveling through the forest was a much longer route.

Fortunately, she resisted the urge to “mess with” the plants along the way, and managed to reach Anping Driving School by nightfall.

Nie Ying and Zheng Jing were already gone. They’d left a message in the cafeteria, saying they’d met other survivors and headed to Qingshan Camp together.

Mu Ying spent the night at the driving school, and the next day went to the noodle shop to look for Dong Xiaogang.

The second floor of the noodle shop was empty too—she didn’t know if something had happened, or if they’d left with Nie Ying’s group.

There were far fewer zombies in town now, and the closer she got to the southern edge near Qingshan Forest, the fewer there were.

Passing by a supermarket, Mu Ying heard the sounds of fighting.

A group of a dozen or so people were facing three times as many zombies, fighting and retreating at the same time, barely holding on.

She knew the town well. That alley was deep, but it was a dead end—these people were in real trouble.

Mu Ying circled around to a nearby house, climbed to the second floor, and looked out the window. Sure enough, the people in the alley were squeezed into the far end, their movement restricted and their stamina running low. She even recognized several familiar faces among them.

Her position was very safe, perfect for casting spells.