From Apocalypse Boss to Farmer: My Vegetables Make Me Stronger!-Chapter 192 - 183: Yet Another Beggar

The Guard Team’s vehicle also pulled to a stop, and He Yue led several of his men over to Gu Xi.

"Miss Gu..."

But the moment he spoke, he realized something was wrong.

Several members of the Special Service Team had silently positioned themselves behind them without making a sound. Their formation, which looked casual at a glance, actually blocked all avenues of attack... and retreat.

He Yue had the sudden, depressing realization that, compared to these highly trained Special Service Team members, his own men were a disorganized rabble.

"Something I can help you with?" Ye Junhan asked from a short distance away. He hadn’t moved, one hand resting on his scabbard, and he gave He Yue a cool, indifferent glance.

A single glance, but it felt like daggers in his back.

He Yue took a deep breath, his expression neutral as he turned to Ye Junhan. "Mr. Ye, I just saw Mr. Zhao and his men setting up a defensive perimeter. Isn’t it a little early for us to be making camp?"

’There were too many prying eyes around for him to make a move.’

’He Yue just wanted to split everyone into groups and get rid of the extraneous people as soon as possible. As for the Special Service Team, he already had a plan for them, too.’

Gu Xi glanced at the two men, gave Ye Junhan a slight nod, and turned to walk toward the valley.

Her main destination for this trip was indeed City A, but Gu Xi had no intention of ignoring the mutant plants along the way.

For one, she had accepted the clearing mission and intended to complete it thoroughly. And for another...

She had already reached the cusp of a breakthrough. To cross that threshold and allow Sprout to evolve again, she needed a massive amount of energy—specifically, high-grade, pure energy.

That was why Gu Xi had set her sights on the wild mutant plants on the verge of malignant transformation.

Just then.

"Huh?" Not far away, Qi Xiang suddenly cried out. She squatted down, craning her neck as she inched forward.

Gu Xi raised an eyebrow. ’My spiritual power has already swept this area, and I didn’t find anything unusual.’ But then she remembered Qi Xiang’s uncanny luck...

Gu Xi was about to walk over, but the drone overhead was faster.

Qi Xiang looked excited, though it was unclear what she had found.

When Gu Xi reached her side, she saw a large pit just ahead.

The pit’s surface was covered with mutant plants, making it look no different from any of the other common craters in the mountains.

Her spiritual power scan had yielded the same result.

But when Gu Xi drew closer and peered inside, she realized there was something in the pit. Something that could... block a spiritual power scan.

’Items capable of blocking spiritual power are rare.’

’Even in the Central Base, such materials are exceedingly scarce.’

Gu Xi pushed aside some nearby vines, trying to get a better look.

But the pit was deep and the light inside was dim. The object at the bottom was huge, and with more than half of it buried in the earth, it was impossible to tell what it was at a glance.

Fortunately, they had the drone.

"Captain, we’ve got something..." Yang Liu said, her eyes fixed on the Light Screen connected to the drone. Her ten fingers were a blur as they flew across the interface.

Gu Xi walked over and glanced at the screen.

Thanks to the drone’s scan, a 3D model was already taking shape on the Light Screen. It looked... like a ship?

Gu Xi frowned slightly.

’How could a ship be in the middle of the mountains? And its material is obviously out of the ordinary...’

Just then, without looking up, Yang Liu said to Liu Hao, who had just walked over, "Haozi, go down and check it out."

"Got it." Liu Hao opened his personal terminal and looked at the pit-bottom view Yang Liu had shared. After adjusting his gear, he slid deftly into the deep crater.

Gu Xi felt something was off. The route and zones for their clearing mission had been decided in advance by Shen Yue and his superiors.

Both Shen Yue and Ye Junhan were the final executors of the G01 Plan—one operating in the open, the other in the shadows.

’If someone had manipulated Shen Yue into choosing this route for them, then Qi Xiang’s discovery of the object in the pit was probably no accident.’

But seeing the crowd gathering around them, Gu Xi said nothing. She just tugged on Qi Xiang’s sleeve and silently took a few steps back.

Qi Xiang understood instantly.

She frowned in annoyance. "Why is everyone crowding around? You think this is some kind of circus?"

The young miss pulled out an exquisite little handkerchief and fanned herself with it before turning to pull Gu Xi away. "Why isn’t there a single breeze in these mountains? It’s so hot and stuffy... Gu Xi, let’s go check out that spot over there." ’That thing in the pit is huge and can even block superpowers,’ she thought. ’They won’t be getting it out anytime soon.’

Gu Xi nodded and let Qi Xiang lead her away from the large pit. They sat down in the shade of a tree several dozen meters away.

Dongfang Yu sidled over with a wide grin. "Need a breeze?"

Qi Xiang’s eyes flicked to the tiny whirlwind spinning on the man’s fingertip. She looked up at him with a smirk. ’Trying to eavesdrop? Heh.’

Dongfang Yu directed the breeze to circle around the two of them. "Miss Gu," he said to Gu Xi, "do you remember me? We met last time at the Superpower Union Headquarters Building... Afterward, you gave us a bag of fried fruits..."

’Those fruits were unbelievably delicious. Even now, the memory makes my mouth water. The only problem was I didn’t get many last time; those other bastards got most of them. I wonder if she has any more this time?’

Dongfang Yu’s eyes burned with anticipation as he gazed at the benevolent goddess before him.

Gu Xi looked up at him, slightly confused.

Qi Xiang snorted. ’So that’s his game. His intentions are as plain as day.’

’...Another beggar.’

Dongfang Yu realized he had misspoken and rubbed his nose sheepishly. "Uh, don’t get the wrong idea. I’m not here to ask for fruits..."

Qi Xiang: ’Heh... I’ll just smile and say nothing.’

"Miss Gu." Dongfang Yu gave up and sat down next to them, saying shamelessly, "I heard from Mr. Wei that you’re in charge of all the food for our little group on this trip..."

Just then, Zhou Qian sidled over as well. "Miss Gu, you’re incredible! I heard the things you grow are amazing, and everyone said those fruits you gave out last time were delicious. It’s just a shame I didn’t get to try any..." ’The captain took them all,’ he added silently.

As he spoke, he shot a resentful, aggrieved look back at his captain.

Ye Junhan, who was standing at the edge of the pit a short distance away, glanced over at them but didn’t approach.

Gu Xi glanced from Ye Junhan to the pitiful-looking Zhou Qian. "..." The strong scent of "green tea" wafting from him made her think she... might... just... be starting to understand something.

’It’s like the candy I used to get as a kid...’ she thought. ’You have to return the favor.’

’But I left in such a hurry this time. All I have on me are the original, jumbo-sized, plain-and-simple ’520 Edition’ fruits... Maybe while everyone’s distracted by the pit, I could have Wei Heng sneak off and fry up a fresh batch?’

Seeing Gu Xi waver, Zhou Qian and Dongfang Yu exchanged a look. "Miss Gu, I heard from Mr. Wei..."

’Mr. Wei this, Mr. Wei that,’ Qi Xiang was so annoyed she almost laughed.

’I knew it! Why is everyone treating Gu Xi like some rich landlord, lining up to beg for handouts? It’s because our Farming Team has a traitor who favors outsiders!’

And Zhou Qian, for the sake of the fruit he’d been craving for so long but never got to taste, was clearly ready to go all in—

"Miss Gu, when the captain took the fruits you gave, I didn’t say anything. I mean, he’s the captain, right? But did you know? He took them, but he doesn’t eat them. Instead, every night..."

"...Hmm!?" Qi Xiang was instantly wide awake, her gossip-loving ears perked up immediately.

’I knew it! There’s obviously something going on between Gu Xi and Ye Junhan, but Wei Heng refused to believe me.’

Not far away, Ye Junhan lifted his gaze to throw a cool glance at Zhou Qian. As he did, his eyes accidentally met Gu Xi’s.

The man’s hand, which had been stroking his scabbard, paused for a fraction of a second, and he subconsciously straightened his posture.