Apocalyptic Reincarnation: Start with a 30-million Bonus

The abandoned farmland, drenched by the typhoon and rain, left the soil moist as they trudged through the muddy fields.

Fortunately, after the doomsday, these farmlands were left untended, and wild grasses grew profusely over the years.

The wild grasses were pressed flat by the typhoon, as if a layer of straw had been laid across the fields.

The thick grasses somewhat prevented their feet from directly contacting the muddy sludge below, saving their feet from sinking into the mud.

But the fields were full of water, making walking quite inconvenient and soaking their pant legs.

The group walked through the abandoned farmland while Uncle constantly kept an eye on the direction of the riverbank, ready to alert the group to leave should any zombies emerge from the river.

They waded through the water, carefully treading to avoid making loud noises that could attract the river zombies.

They walked for about five minutes, but all they saw was destruction; only wild grasses grew in the fields, with no sign of the Hook Vine.

Suddenly.

A large tree originally on the riverbank had collapsed, blocking their path.

”Go around it,” Uncle said with a frown, addressing the group.

The tree ahead had a trunk about two meters in diameter, presumably toppled by the typhoon.

Upon hearing this, the group circumvented the fallen tree, moving to the right.

Li Yuan happened to be near the crown of the fallen tree when her eyes lit up, and she strode towards it.

She pulled out a plant resembling the Hook Vine from under the tree and excitedly turned to Qingyang, asking, ”Is this it?”

She was unaware that beneath the scattered branches of the lush, collapsed tree lay a zombie trapped during the typhoon.

At this moment, having finally freed itself from the branches, it lunged at Li Yuan’s back.

”Watch out!” Lao Xie cried out in alarm and rushed toward Li Yuan.

Upon hearing Lao Xie’s warning, Li Yuan fought the instinct to turn around and instead sprinted forward.

However, by the time she reacted, the zombie was less than two meters away from her.

In a critical moment.

Uncle and the others dashed towards her, but they were all seven to eight meters away from Li Yuan.

”Oh no!” As Li Yuan ran towards Uncle and the others, she was so flustered that she tripped over the wild grasses in the farmland and fell.

The farmland was wet, causing a splash.

Amid the splash, Li Yuan, as she fell, caught a glimpse of a figure dashing over.

The speed was immense.

Clang!

The sword unsheathed.

Qingyang moved with astonishing speed, every step he took sent water spraying, yet before the sprays settled, he had already reached Li Yuan’s side and swung his sword at the zombie.

The longsword was sharp, though it was unclear what material it was made of.

With a single swing, the zombie’s head was severed, and its body fell slowly.

Thud!

Afterward, Qingyang glanced at the fallen Li Yuan, hesitated for two seconds, sheathed his sword into the ground, and helped her up with both hands.

Li Yuan was gradually helped up, her face smeared with some mud, a wild grass stuck in her hair, looking rather disheveled and wet.

Feeling awkward, Li Yuan didn’t concern herself with these matters at the moment.

From her right hand, she brought out the plant she had clung to even while falling and asked Qingyang, ”Is this it? Is this the Hook Vine?”

Before Qingyang could respond, Uncle and the others, who had caught up from behind, surrounded them.

”Yuan Niu, are you alright? You scared me,” Uncle said, examining Li Yuan from top to bottom and only relaxing upon seeing she was fine.

Lao Xie, with a guilty expression, explained that he had just stepped into a hole and looked down for a moment, missing Li Yuan’s situation.

”I’m fine, I’m fine. Is this the Hook Vine?” Li Yuan asked Qingyang anxiously.

She extended the plant in her hand towards Qingyang.

Qingyang took it, examined it closely, and then, under Li Yuan’s expectant gaze, shook his head with a wry smile, ”No, it looks similar and belongs to the same family of plants, but this isn’t the Hook Vine.”

Upon hearing this, Li Yuan deflated, like an eggplant struck by frost, a little deflated.

Without a word, a few seconds later, she regained her composure and looked up at Qingyang, saying, ”Thanks for earlier, you saved me.”

Qingyang looked at Li Yuan’s slightly chubby yet remarkably comforting face.

Saw her sincere gaze warm and genuine.

Qingyang’s face turned crimson, and he hastily waved his hands, saying, ”No need, no need, it was nothing, it was nothing.”

He appeared somewhat flustered.

Seeing him like this, Li Yuan burst into laughter.

Her face showed two shallow dimples.

This little Taoist sure blushes easily; she had never seen anyone who did so frequently in the post-apocalyptic world.

Li Yuan’s initial sadness, the disappointment of not finding the Hook Vine, inexplicably faded, and her mood lifted.

So, she said to Uncle beside her, ”Uncle, I got too excited earlier. I’ll be more careful; no need to worry. Let’s continue looking for the Hook Vine?”

Uncle glanced at Li Yuan, then at the little Taoist, nodding, ”Alright, let’s go.”

The group moved away from the tree, it was too large with sprawling branches and leaves, and there might yet be zombies inside.

Qingyang, having pulled out his sword, looked at Li Yuan ahead, pondering for a few seconds.

Finally, he took a few steps and said to Li Yuan, ”Hey, there’s a grass on your head.”

Li Yuan paused briefly, but made no big movement, merely pulled the grass casually from her hair, then said to Qingyang, ”Thank you.”

Qingyang’s face turned red again, and he hurriedly walked ahead, almost like he was fleeing.

Unnoticed by others, Li Yuan’s face showed a faint, nearly imperceptible blush.

The group followed along the riverbank for ten minutes, still no Hook Vine found.

Instead, they ended up in a place where, with lower water levels, zombies were lurking by the riverbank.

Upon seeing them, the zombies roared and charged towards them.

Once awakened, zombies emerged in increasing numbers from the river at a visible rate.

Seeing this, Uncle directed the group to run upwards.

They did not run along the river as they had come; fleeing along the river would be a death wish, for the zombies were all awakened from the river, sprinting along the river wouldn’t ensure they’d be faster.

They dashed into a cluster of civilian houses away from the riverbank, weaving through them to shake off the zombies trailing behind them.

Uncle urgently used a walkie-talkie to contact Xiao Ding, waiting by the Yanghe Bridge, instructing him to wait on the national highway ahead.

The group detoured back to the national highway, climbed into the car.

Uncle wiped his sweat and said to Qingyang, ”Judging by this, it’s unlikely to find any by the river; after the typhoon and storm, most riverside plants were submerged.

Are there any other places where this plant might grow? Let’s look elsewhere.”

Qingyang thought for a moment and replied, ”A valley usually has them too; we can search near a valley. After the typhoon, its impact should be less there, increasing the likelihood of finding the Hook Vine.”

”Alright,” Uncle said without fuss, instructing Xiao Ding to drive towards the nearest valley.

But just five minutes into their journey.

Old Qin’s voice came through the walkie-talkie.

”Captain Liu, we found them; there’s a large patch here, Hua Qian said this is it, bring Qingyang back to the base, let him confirm it!”

Upon hearing this, Uncle’s face lit up with joy, and he immediately told Xiao Ding, ”Forget it, return to the base. Head back now, quick!”

Xiao Ding hit the brakes, puzzled, ”Huh? We’re not going?”

He asked and reversed the vehicle, turning back towards the Big Camphor Tree Base.

In the car, Uncle, quite excited, said, ”Hua Qian said they found it, let’s head back. Qingyang, once we’re there, check if it’s the Hook Vine you mentioned.”

Uncle’s excitement was easy to understand.

Hua Qian was an experienced traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, occasionally checking patients in the Outer City.

Even Uncle’s waist problem had been treated there at a cost.

The old man had some skills.

He shouldn’t be mistaken.

Hearing Uncle’s news, everyone in the car was thrilled.

Facing Uncle’s words, Qingyang nodded and said, ”Alright.”

Thus, they immediately turned back, returning to the Big Camphor Tree Base at the fastest speed.

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