12: Chapter 12, Third Stop: The Mutant Botanical Garden

"Go ahead, report me if you want."

Su Xiaoxiao sneered. Instead of showing any panic, she puffed out her chest with righteous indignation.

"Don't forget, the rules on this train are set by the Train Master now."

"You dared to bribe the logistics leader in private to evade labor. Do you think Class Monitor Chu won't just throw you into the junk carriage at the back to keep your good sister Zhao Yuxin company if she finds out?"

These words were like a heavy hammer, smashing ruthlessly into Li Na's weakness.

At the thought of that junk carriage filled with coal ash and stench, Li Na couldn't help but shudder.

She looked at Su Xiaoxiao's shrewd and calculating face, knowing she was completely defeated.

"You're ruthless!"

Li Na spat out the words through gritted teeth and ran off toward the washing sinks, facing the tactical suits that emitted a pungent, bloody smell.

The surrounding girls watched this scene, unable to stop themselves from whispering.

But not a single person stood up to speak for Li Na.

In the face of survival, all sympathy was superfluous.

Through this incident, Su Xiaoxiao's authority in the logistics team was fully established.

No one dared to treat her as that gossip-loving nobody anymore; she was now the logistics manager who truly held the power over food distribution.

Meanwhile, in the driver's cab at the very front of the train.

Su Chen was leaning comfortably against the large leather driver's seat.

Before him was a massive LCD screen.

This was the [Wasteland Monitoring System] that came with the Level 1 Armored Train.

The screen was split into several small frames, clearly displaying all the movements in the passenger carriage, the logistics carriage, and the junk carriage at the very back.

Zhang Man's ruthlessness in sharpening weapons, Su Xiaoxiao's shrewdness in extorting Li Na, and even Zhao Yuxin's impotent rage and curses in the junk carriage.

All of this fell perfectly into Su Chen's eyes.

"Interesting."

Su Chen picked up a glass of purified water from the side table and took a shallow sip.

The corners of his mouth curled into a satisfied arc.

He had originally been worried that these flowers grown in a greenhouse would completely collapse under the pressure of the apocalypse.

But now it seemed that human adaptability was far stronger than imagined.

The differentiation of classes and the formation of small circles were inevitable processes for any group in an extreme environment.

The management level, led by Chu Qingxue, was responsible for setting rules and maintaining order.

The combat faction, led by Zhang Man, was responsible for exercising force and providing security.

The logistics faction, led by Su Xiaoxiao, was responsible for resource coordination and maintaining the lifeline of survival.

These three small groups were independent yet balanced each other, and all power terminals were ultimately held firmly in Su Chen's hands alone.

...

...

"Beep— Beep—"

The Wasteland Monitoring System emitted a faint electronic sound.

Su Chen sat in his comfortable driver's seat, watching with satisfaction as order gradually fell into place within each carriage.

In this cruel world, he didn't need a group of decorative vases who only knew how to cry and hide behind men when danger struck.

What he needed were gears that could create value for him and survive in this apocalypse.

And now, this machine he had built by hand was finally beginning to turn slowly and steadily.

Time passed quietly amidst the steady travel.

The powerful primary steam boiler of the Level 1 Armored Train devoured flesh-and-blood coal, spewing out billowing white smoke and ruthlessly tearing through the blood-colored mist blocking the way.

Unknowingly, the train had been traveling through the mist for an entire day.

The girls also gradually adapted to the rhythm of life on the train. The combat group conducted simple physical training under Zhang Man's leadership, while the logistics group neatly categorized and stacked supplies under Su Xiaoxiao's command.

Except for the occasional cursing from the junk carriage at the very back, everything seemed so orderly.

Just as everyone had finished a lunch of military canned food exchanged with contribution points and was about to rest on the soft bunks for a while.

That cold, mechanical, and emotionless Heavenly Dao notification sound suddenly exploded in everyone's minds again.

[Ding! Attention all players!]

[Five kilometers ahead, you are about to arrive at the third mandatory stop— 'Mutated Botanical Garden'!]

[Mandatory stay time at this station: 3 hours 00 minutes!]

[Danger Assessment: High Risk!]

[Special mission for this station: Train Master, please collect enough 'seeds of life' during the stay to activate the 'Ecological Planting Carriage Module'!]

[Hint: The Mutated Botanical Garden is filled with hallucinogenic toxic miasma; please take precautions. Plant-type monsters are skilled in camouflage and ambush, extremely dangerous!]

Hearing this notification, the girls who were originally somewhat drowsy instantly perked up.

Especially upon hearing the terms "Ecological Planting Carriage" and "seed of life," an irrepressible wave of excited discussion broke out in the carriage.

"Oh my god! If we can activate that planting carriage, does that mean we can grow our own vegetables?"

"I've almost forgotten what fresh vegetables taste like. Eating these rock-hard compressed biscuits and incredibly salty canned beef every day is making me want to vomit!"

"This is great! As long as there are seeds, I used to help my grandpa farm back in my hometown; I can definitely grow Chinese cabbage!"

For these girls struggling to survive in the apocalypse, being able to eat a mouthful of fresh, uncontaminated green vegetables was simply a luxurious dream.

This desire for food even briefly outweighed their fear of the "high-risk station."

Su Chen pushed open the master bedroom door and strode into the passenger carriage.

He looked at the girls whose eyes flickered with the light of hope. His cold face showed no expression as he issued orders in a deep voice.

"Don't get happy too early. High rewards often come with high risks."

"Everyone, put on your tactical suits and bulletproof vests within five minutes, take the best weapons you can find, and prepare to disembark!"

"This time, except for Zhao Yuxin and those three labor convicts, the remaining thirty-five people—all of you are going down!"

Upon hearing this, the faces of some timid girls changed slightly.

They had originally thought it would be like yesterday, with Su Chen taking a few core members to take risks while they just had to stay obediently on the train.

"Train Master, do we... do we have to go too? Won't we hold you back?"

A girl asked timidly.

"You don't have to go if you don't want to."

Su Chen glanced at her coldly, his tone devoid of any warmth.

"Then stay on the train. In the future, don't even think about eating a single bite of what the ecological carriage grows. Your contribution points will be reset to zero, and you can get lost and join Zhao Yuxin."

Once these words were out, no one dared to raise any further objections.

Under the temptation of food and survival, even if there was a mountain of knives and a sea of fire ahead, they had to grit their teeth and charge through.

"Chu Qingxue, Zhang Man, Liu Ruyan."

Su Chen began calling names to assign tasks.

"Each of you will lead a squad."

"Chu Qingxue is in charge of the left wing, Zhang Man is in charge of the right wing, and Teacher Liu will take Lin Momo and a few clever people to provide support in the center."

"Remember, after entering the botanical garden, everyone must stay alert. Do not touch anything randomly, and report immediately if you see glowing seeds!"

"Yes! Train Master!"

The three women answered in unison and quickly began organizing their people.

Ten minutes later.

"Screech—"

Accompanied by a piercing sound of brakes, the Level 1 Armored Train came to a steady stop in front of a massive archway wrapped in rusted iron sheets.

Above the archway, the words "Municipal Botanical Garden" were completely covered by thick moss and vines, their outlines only faintly recognizable.

"Open the door."

Su Chen took the lead, stepping out of the carriage holding that exaggeratedly shaped [thunder-fire roarer shotgun] that emitted a violent aura.

As everyone's feet stepped onto the soil of the botanical garden, a thick green mist with a sickly sweet, putrid smell blew toward them.

This mist was even thicker than the blood-colored mist outside, with visibility of less than ten meters.

"Everyone be careful, this mist has a hallucinogenic effect. Try to breathe shallowly."

Liu Ruyan was indeed a counselor; her mind was delicate.

She immediately activated her S-rank talent [Life Recovery], her hands emitting a faint layer of green light that enveloped the central support squad, resisting the erosion of the toxic miasma.

Su Chen narrowed his eyes slightly, a dark golden light flickering deep in his pupils.

Under the hidden insight effect of [Omni-Modification], this seemingly peaceful botanical garden was, in his eyes, simply a death jungle fraught with danger.

Those massive vines, as thick as water buckets, coiled around the abandoned greenhouse sheds were not ordinary plants at all.

Beneath their skin, dark red blood faintly flowed, like dormant venomous snakes.

And in the centers of those giant, brightly colored flowers, Su Chen could even clearly see rows of barbs as sharp as a shark's teeth!

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

"Stop advancing, everyone!"

Su Chen suddenly raised his right hand, making a tactical stop gesture.

His deep, powerful voice sounded exceptionally clear in the silent botanical garden.

"That flowerbed ahead that looks like sunflowers must absolutely not be approached."

Su Chen's gaze was fixed intently on a cluster of huge flowers a dozen meters ahead.

"Those are extremely dangerous bloodthirsty plants; once they bite you, even your bones will be digested completely."

Hearing Su Chen's warning, the girls who had just been somewhat excited instantly tensed up, gripping their weapons tightly, not daring to even breathe loudly.

However, in this wasteland world filled with mutated creatures, danger often descends from places you least expect.

Just as Su Chen issued the warning and everyone's attention was focused on the flowerbed ahead.

At the very back of the team, beneath the feet of Lin Momo, who was curiously looking around in search of the "seed of life."

The originally hard soil suddenly shifted eerily.

"Boom!"

With a muffled thud, soil splattered everywhere.

A terrifying plant of massive size, over two meters tall, erupted from the ground beneath Lin Momo's feet without any warning!

[Warning! Encountered Bronze-grade mid-tier monster — Bloodthirsty Venus flytrap!]

The system's shrill notification sounded in Su Chen's mind.

This mutated Venus flytrap did not have the slow, sluggish movements of an ordinary plant at all.

It was like a cheetah hiding in the shadows; the moment it broke through the ground, those two huge petals covered in sharp teeth were already like a bloodthirsty maw, carrying a nauseating stench as they viciously bit down toward Lin Momo's petite body!

"Ah—!"

Lin Momo was so frightened by this sudden turn of events that her face turned deathly pale; her mind went blank, and she stood there dazed, forgetting even to run or release her talent.

Watching as that big mouth filled with sharp teeth was about to devour the sweet girl.

"Mo Mo, look out!"

A roar like that of a lioness exploded beside Lin Momo.

Zhang Man, who had been guarding Lin Momo closely, displayed astonishing reaction speed and explosive power.

She did not hesitate at all, lunging forward and using all her strength to shove the dazed Lin Momo away.

"Bang!"

Lin Momo landed heavily in the grass a few meters away, avoiding this fatal strike.

But Zhang Man herself, having lost her balance, was completely exposed within the attack range of the bloodthirsty Venus flytrap.

"Swish!"

The Venus flytrap missed its strike and seemed to be enraged.

From beneath its calyx, two thick, thorny green vines instantly shot out like two poisonous whips, tightly wrapping around Zhang Man's right leg.

"Rip—"

The sharp barbs instantly tore through Zhang Man's tactical trousers, digging deep into her flesh.

A strong paralyzing toxin was frantically injected into her body through the wound.

"Ugh!"

Zhang Man let out a painful grunt as she was dragged into mid-air, hung upside down by that terrifying force.

The Venus flytrap's huge mouth opened again, ready to welcome this meal delivered to its door.

"Sister Man!"

Seeing this scene, Lin Momo, who had fallen to the ground, felt tears well up instantly and screamed in despair.

The surrounding girls were also terrified; no one had expected this monster's attack to be so eerie and swift.

Just at this moment of life and death.

Zhang Man, hung upside down in mid-air and feeling the shadow of death approaching, felt an unprecedentedly strong desire to survive erupt from the depths of her heart!

"I cannot die... I still have to live on and follow the Train Master!"

"Break for me!!!"

Accompanied by Zhang Man's shrill, unwilling roar.

A brilliant silver-gray light suddenly erupted from within her body!

This light rapidly spread to her entire body, plating her skin punctured by the barbs, her solid muscles, and even every strand of her hair with a layer of cold, hard metallic luster!

[Ding! Detected that player Zhang Man has broken through her limits during a life-or-death crisis!]

[Successfully awakened B-grade talent: Steel Body!]

[Talent effect: After activation, significantly increases physical defense and strength for a short time, and grants immunity to low-level toxins!]

"Creak—"

The vines that could have easily crushed an adult's bones, when wrapping around Zhang Man's metallicized thigh, actually emitted a teeth-grinding metallic friction sound.

The sharp barbs could no longer penetrate a single bit, and the paralyzing toxin that made one feel weak was also perfectly blocked by this layer of Steel Body.

Zhang Man had actually forcibly withstood this fatal strangulation!

"Bang—!!!"

At the very same moment Zhang Man awakened her talent and withstood the strangulation.

A deafening gunshot, as if it were about to flip the entire botanical garden over, exploded in everyone's ears!

Su Chen's gaze was extremely cold, without a trace of panic.

The moment the Venus flytrap broke through the ground, he had already activated the movement technique he had just learned.

"Thunderclap Step!"

"Crackle!"

Accompanied by a burst of harsh electrical crackling.

Su Chen's legs were instantly wrapped in violent purple lightning.

His body seemed to lose weight, turning into a thunderous afterimage that the naked eye could barely track, instantly crossing a dozen meters and appearing like a ghost beside the bloodthirsty Venus flytrap.

No extra nonsense.

Su Chen held the heavy [thunder-fire roarer shotgun] with both hands, pressing the thick, high-temperature barrel directly against the Venus flytrap's thick main stem.

"Shatter for me!"

Su Chen's eyes turned cold, and he pulled the trigger without hesitation.

Boom—!

Violent lightning and thousands of degrees of fire wove into a net of destruction, instantly erupting from the muzzle!

The tough main stem, capable of withstanding the hacking of ordinary swords, was as fragile as paper in the face of the terrifying power of the thunder-fire shotgun shells.

"Splurt—Boom!"

Half of the main stem was blasted into green debris flying all over the sky by this violent shot!

Foul-smelling, sticky green sap splattered all over the ground like rain, even spraying onto Su Chen's cold, stern face.

Having lost the support of the main stem, the two huge petals hung down powerlessly.

The vines wrapping around Zhang Man also instantly lost their strength and loosened.

"Bang!"

Zhang Man's metallicized body landed heavily on the ground, creating a shallow pit.

As the danger was resolved, the silver-gray light within her body rapidly receded, and her skin returned to its normal color.

The power that had supported her burst was instantly drained; Zhang Man felt completely exhausted, panting heavily, unable to even lift a finger.

"Sister Man! Wuwuwu... Sister Man, are you okay?"

Lin Momo scrambled over, grabbed the lying Zhang Man, and wept bitterly, constantly checking the wound on her leg.

"What are you crying for... I'm not dead, am I..."

Zhang Man weakly tugged at the corner of her mouth, revealing a smile that was uglier than crying, and reached out to stroke the sweet girl's head.

The surrounding girls finally woke from their daze and gathered around, their eyes filled with shock and awe as they looked at Su Chen and Zhang Man.

Su Chen casually wiped the green sap off his face and shouldered the thunder-fire roarer shotgun.

He strode to Zhang Man's side, extended his strong, powerful right hand, and pulled this hearty, athletic student up from the ground.

Su Chen looked at Zhang Man's face, which was somewhat pale from exhaustion, and a hint of undisguised appreciation flashed in his deep eyes.

"Well done."

Although Su Chen's voice remained deep and cold, it carried a power that made people feel at ease.

"You didn't panic in the face of danger, and you were even able to awaken your talent in a desperate situation."

"From today on, you will carry the banner of the combat team."

Hearing these words of affirmation.

Zhang Man stared blankly at the cold, overbearing man before her who possessed overwhelming strength.

Her heart, which had originally been somewhat dismissive of men due to her own combat prowess, was completely shattered at this moment.

In its place was a deep sense of admiration, worship, and an urge to follow him to the death.

"Yes! Train Master!"

Zhang Man endured the pain in her leg, stood straight, and answered loudly.

Just then, Su Chen's gaze inadvertently swept over the pile of shattered Venus flytrap remains.

Amidst those foul-smelling green juices.

A seed, only the size of a walnut and emitting a faint yet pure emerald green light, was lying quietly in the soil.

"That is..."

Su Chen's eyes lit up, and he immediately walked over quickly.